UPDATED: 4 Children Among Those Killed in Spring Shooting That Leads to Tense Standoff
Screengrab from KTRKA shooting has reportedly claimed the lives of six people, and led to standoff. Update: 8:33p.m.: This story has been updated with information about the standoff and the deceased. In a Wednesday afternoon shooting in the Spring area, seven people have been shot, including six who died, according…
When Tweeting Goes Bad: Mocking #Jadapose Hashtag Spreads on Twitter
A 16-year-old girl named Jada gave KHOU an interview Tuesday night about an alleged rape that went viral on social media. According to the teen she got raped at a party and then people began talking about it and sharing pictures on social media. Police are still investigating the incident,…
Alleged Office Supply Con Man on the Loose in North Houston
Offices supplies can be worth a lot, especially when you steal a bunch of them. Houston police are searching for a man charged with stealing thousands of dollars from north Houston area companies since March by pawning things he buys on companies’ lines of credit. Randy Moore, a 48-year-old white…
Reality Bites: Drunk History
There are a millions reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. The premise for Comedy Central’s Drunk History is sublime in its simplicity: inebriated people recounting historical events, accompanied by dialogue-accurate reenactments. With that, you get all of the occasional factual…
Do You Really Have to Wait Half an Hour After Eating to Swim?
We all heard it at some point in our childhood: “You can’t go in the water yet! You just ate! Wait half an hour and sit there quietly, otherwise you’ll drown!” A stern warning from mom about drowning/vomiting/mean cramps was enough to strike fear into the hearts of most children,…
7 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Donkey Kong
Today is the 33rd anniversary of the release of Donkey Kong to arcades, and the world was never the same. Today we thought we’d look at some things about the game you might not have been aware of. Mario is Actually the Bad Guy You might have thought that Donkey…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Susie Jimenez of Trenza Talks Food Network Stardom and Latin Roots
This is the first part of a two-part Chef Chat interview. Check back with us tomorrow to read Part 2. If things had gone slightly different, Susie Jimenez might not have opened her Mexican/Latin American/Indian fusion restaurant, Trenza, in Houston. Jimenez came very close to having her own Food Network…
Dude Who Murdered His Family as a Kid Now Charged With Harassment
We all have things from our past we’d rather not discuss. Some people have cheated on a significant other. Some people have filed for bankruptcy. Some slaughtered their adoptive families and served four years in juvenile detention. Well, at least that’s what Jovan Collier did, back in 1983, when he…
Alley Theatre Holds Its Groundbreaking Day Complete With Smashing Pillars
Tuesday morning was celebration and hard hats as Alley Theatre benefactors, personnel and more than a few actors, gathered to kick off the start of their new enterprise: a renovation of the Alley Theatre building. While speeches (brief) were made and history was recounted– including an appropriate acknowledgement of the…
In the Flesh: Houston Musicians Talk About Their Tattoos
‘I’ve gotten all of these tattoos over the years,” laughs Houston musician Bart Maloney. “Some of them I’ve added to; some of them I’ve changed — like this one here? I added the steel guitar after her. She needed something more.” Maloney’s arms are covered in brightly colored ink, everything…
Two Women Caught Stealing at Beach, Punishable by Viral Shame (VIDEO)
Cameras are everywhere. If you’re a law-abiding citizen who keeps his or her nose clean, this shouldn’t matter. If you’re a law-abiding blogger or radio host tasked with finding reams of daily content, this is a great thing. If you’re a petty thief disguised as a frumpy, middle-aged neighborhood mom,…
This Week in Food Blogs: Cake & Ice Cream Belong Together
Zagat Houston: If you’re in search of a new bar to try out this summer, check out Zagat Houston’s list of the eight hottest bars in Houston, such as the only tiki bar, Lei Low, featuring tropical drinks like the popular Mai Tai. The Pimlico Irish Pub features Irish beers,…
Hump Day Cocktail: Caipirinha at Leon’s Lounge
It’s Wednesday. Hump Day. Still two days until the weekend. Honey, you look like you need a drink. Here’s our suggestion. Tell ’em the Houston Press sent you. “I’ve been looking for a place like this,” the gray-haired man said as he sat down at the bar next to me…
League City Says No to Undocumented Kids
Real classy of League City council to adopt a resolution this week basically telling the federal government to not even think about sending any unaccompanied minors to be housed or processed there. Other places like Dallas have pitched in and agreed to take in several hundred kids, and even Houston,…
An Easy Guide to The Box’s 97.9 The Concert
Secret shows in Houston don’t always stay that way. It’s also not a secret that 97.9 The Box has been making quite certain its focus on local rappers is heard vociferously. Last year, the first edition of 97.9 The Concert featured a number of who’s who in the local rap…
Bands Want Houston Beer Fest to Pay Up
A number of bands who played the recent Houston Beer Fest are now upset with the promoters, claiming they bounced checks to as many as 20 acts who appeared, as well as some vendors. Meanwhile, the promoters say they are digging out from a huge financial hole resulting from scheduled…
Internet Satire: Germany Destroys Brazil 7-1
For 63 straight matches, Brazil’s national soccer team had gone without a defeat on its home turf, going all the way back to 1975. That’s an impressive streak, nothing to be taken lightly. So if you’re going to see the streak end, at least do so in historic fashion, I…
Summer Eats: Double Scoop at Fat Cat Creamery
If you haven’t yet tried Fat Cat Creamery, you’ll want to immediately. Where some parlors have vanilla and chocolate swirl, the small-batch ice cream shop has pure Mexican vanilla and Milk Chocolate Stout. Where some shops have glugs of premade chocolate sauce and rainbow sprinkles, Fat Cat has fresh strawberry…
100 Creatives 2014: Jonathan Pidcock, Jewelry That’s Off the Chain
What He Does: Pidcock is another talent that I met along Artist Alley at Comicpalooza, and is married to author Angeli Pidcock. His work is chainmail jewelry, and I apologize for the horrible pun that I used in the headline. As you can see, though, his creations really are worthy…
Rest of the Best 2014: Houston’s Top 10 Breakfast Tacos (and One Burrito)
Our 2013 Best of Houston® winners were announced awhile back, but in many cases, picking the best item in any category was no easy task. In order to show off all the culinary greatness Houston has to offer, we’re continuing to round up the “rest of the best” in some…
Perry Sits, but Won’t Shake, for Obama
Gov. Rick Perry — who apparently still holds presidential ambitions of his own — gets to be the guy who forced President Obama to bend to his will. Like any politician, Perry has a few tricks up his sleeve, but it seems he does not shake on command. When Air…
The Five Best Songs About Donkey Kong
On this day in 1981, the video-game juggernaut that was Donkey Kong first saw release. It was a game that broke new ground and keeps finding an audience today. It was the first game to feature Mario (who, by the by, was cast as an abusive pet owner seeking to…
10 Most Pointless Things Hidden in Video Games
Pretty much every video game these days is going to sneak in an Easter Egg or two…or in the case of Borderlands 2, they occasionally sneak in a game between all the Easter Eggs. There’s a difference, though, between dropping in a Doctor Who joke and these ten hidden treasures…
Queen Minus Freddie Mercury? No Thank You
Friends have urged me unsuccessfully to attend tonight’s Queen concert with them. As the band and guest singer Adam Lambert tour, I imagine this scene unfolding for others elsewhere. Some are excited to see Brian May, a we’re-not-worthy, guitar-playing legend. Others are interested in Lambert, whose voice is matched, if…
The 10 Best Songs About Hair
Hair — it’s everywhere, literally. The concept of hair is almost vital to the music community nowadays. Whether it’s that one Disney heartthrob’s primped-to-perfection side-swoop or Steven Tyler’s cornucopia of bird feathers, an iconic hairstyle can cement one’s place in pop culture. In music especially, wild hairstyles signify the rights…
Texas Glory From Your Couch: San Jac EarthCam Goes Live
The Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, the Hagia Sophia and now the San Jacinto Monument. Webcam manufacturer EarthCam’s latest monument live cam hit the internet yesterday, right here in Texas, at the San Jacinto Monument. The camera is 540 feet in the air…
Beagles Released After Years of Experimentation in Research Lab
A non-profit animal rescue group has negotiated the release of seven beagles who spent their lives being experimented on in a “border area lab.” Beagle Freedom Project’s press release states that the five females and two males “have never been outside, played with a toy, or experienced human affection. Several…
Get the Buttermilk Biscuits at Bosta Coffee & Wine
Bosta Coffee & Wine opened its doors a couple of weeks ago in the quiet Museum District. By day, it’s a coffee shop, but by night it serves up wine, beer and sophisticated bar snacks. The coffee beans are provided by Greenway Coffee & Tea (so you know what’s being…
Brand Building on the Internet in 2014 Is an Interesting Phenomenon
If you’re a celebrity, you establish your brand in any number of ways. Perhaps you have a YouTube channel with made-from-scratch videos or snippets of your television appearances. Maybe you have merchandise that you sell, or blog posts that you write. And ultimately, the engine in 2014 is social media,…
The Rocks Off 200: DJ Navo, Bombón’s Boundless Body-Mover
Welcome to The Rocks Off 200, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See previous entries in the Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Alex Nava…
Houston Rockets: An Open Letter to Chris Bosh
Dear Chris, I hope you are having a nice summer, and I hope this letter finds you well. I saw a picture of you on Twitter this past weekend and in the picture you were petting an elephant. I don’t know if you were on an African safari or at…
Watership Down and Why I’ve Given Up on Gun Control
You win. All you guys in Open Carry Texas and everyone else who feels like even the slightest infringement on the types of armaments you can own and where you can take them? You win. I officially surrender, and the reason is Watership Down. Yes, the book about rabbits, a…
Celebrating the Seafood Tower at Reef
When I think of seafood towers, I think of overly elaborate presentations that will arrive before me with the same pizazz as the excitable cartoon food in Beauty and the Beast’s “Be Our Guest.” Shrimp and crabs will be practically jumping off the top tier in anticipation, and clams and…
Does Rick Perry Know His This Week Interview Was Terrible?
Sometimes we wonder what really goes on in Gov. Rick Perry’s head. He was sitting there, ready for his closeup (aka his Sunday morning interview with ABC’s This Week on the border crisis) and he looked so normal. He had his thick, black “smart guy” glasses on. His hair was,…
Pop Rocks: Something Named Connor Franta (and His Association with O2L) Is Trending
“YouTube Celebrity.” I read those words earlier today when checking out the trending topics on Twitter and trying to figure out why some kid named Connor Franta was dominating hashtags. I admit that I’m not up on every element of celeb gossip. In fact, it might be fair to say…
How Houston Cooks: 8th Wonder Brewery Makes Cre8ive, Houston-Centric Beer for All
Every so often, we’ll be bringing you videos that take a behind-the-scenes look at restaurants, breweries, marketplaces, bars and any other spots that define Houston food and drink. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Back when 8th Wonder Brewery first opened in early 2013, the goal was just to…
Doctor Who: 5 Doctor Who Films That Were Never Made
When The Day of the Doctor was shown in theaters as part of the 50th anniversary celebration it was a huge success. In fact, it had the third-highest rated box office take of that day, which is doubly impressive considering you could stay home and see almost the exact same…
Cosmic Bug Loaf Bassist Chris Bauman Killed in Accident
Houston’s music scene lost a unique voice over the Independence Day weekend. Chris Bauman, bassist, keyboardist and sound engineer for Cosmic Bug Loaf, was struck by a suspected drunk driver and killed outside of San Marcos. He was 26. Bauman came to the Houston area from Des Moines, Iowa, living…
100 Favorite Dishes 2014-15: No. 82, Chiles en Nogada Tradicionales at Pico’s Mex-Mex
Once again, Kaitlin Steinberg is eating her way through Houston and counting down her 100 favorite dishes as we work our way toward our annual Menu of Menus® issue and culinary extravaganza. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most delicious, most creative and, of course,…
Inmate Moms Learn How to be Moms (and Use Computers) in Harris County Jail
In May, female inmates at the Harris County Jail spent four hours a day, five days a week learning how to use programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the basics of web design. Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia partnered with The Mexican Institute of Greater Houston to offer inmates…
Abby Koenig’s Spaghetti Code Gets Its World Premiere…and It’s Going to Be Messy
Playwright and frequent Houston Press contributor Abby Koenig tells us her latest work, the black comedy Spaghetti Code, was inspired by but not exactly based on her own life. Like the couple in the play, Koenig and her husband struggled for years with infertility. Unlike the couple in the play,…
Zapruder Analysis: Old Dude Punching Out Meathead Bully at Beach (VIDEO)
We are in that time of the calendar year where I need to issue the usual round of beach-related warnings: Make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen, and if you are fair skinned, apply it liberally. Make sure to be wary of great white sharks, especially if you are going…
5 Best Meteorologically Inspired Cocktails for Hurricane Season
Studies have repeatedly shown that intoxicated persons are 47 percent more likely to survive major weather events than their sober counterparts [citation missing], which is why this hurricane season be sure to include booze as well as water in your emergency kit. And if you need more inspiration as what…
The Five Best Reasons to Use SoundCloud
As streaming services grow to be the norm and more and more people turn to YouTube, Spotify, Bandcamp and SoundCloud for their music listening experiences, it might seem overwhelming to bands trying to maintain an online presence. Do you have to use them all? Should you focus more attention on…
The Mid-2014 Houston Rap Awards
Houston rap has never been in a far more comfortable, and possibly profitable, place. Think about it: the city has two radio stations that both support local artists left and right, and the once-banished Trae Tha Truth is once more openly celebrated on the airwaves. At the same time, long-rising…
Upcoming: 30FootFALL, Black Flag, Rock Baby Rock It, Junior Brown, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.
2014 Summer Concert: With Joe LoCascio, Daniel Zajicek, Brent Farris., Sun., July 27, 6 p.m., $5. Cullen Hall, University of St. Thomas, 4001 Mount Vernon, Houston, 713-525-3560. 30FootFALL: With The Suspects, Bury the Crown, Thrill. Sat., August 30, 7 p.m., $12 to $15. Fitzgerald’s, 2706 White Oak, Houston, 713-862-3838. Abbey…
Queen’s Best Deep Cuts, Album by Album
Just about this time last year, I wound up reading the article “10 Classic Albums We Happen To Hate” right here on Rocks Off. Being a classic-rock enthusiast and having seen various lists like this before, I looked forward to what my now-colleagues would have to say about some legendary…
Leah Purcell: Former Spindletop Owner Arrested for Illegal Dumping
Former Spindletop Dog Refuge owner Leah Purcell was arrested July 5 in connection with an illegal dumping charge. The Texas Department of Public Safety was the arresting agency, but we have no further information regarding the arrest. We’re waiting to hear from the Montgomery County District Attotney’s Office, which obtained…
The Future Is Just Over the Horizon: A Little Patience for These Astros
This could sound a bit familiar. A respected national sports magazine does a feature on a woebegone baseball team. The team’s coming back from the depths. The farm system’s been rebuilt and is now the best in baseball after having invested huge amounts of time and money. The GM was…
Fantasy Crime League Update: Browns WR Josh Gordon Needs Help Badly
Some of my NFL Fantasy Crime League updates are less surprising than others. Some of my NFL Fantasy Crime League updates are sadder than others, too. Then there are Fantasy Crime League updates involving Browns wide receiver and native Houstonian Josh Gordon, which are sadly not very surprising (and, not…
5 Worst Fast-Food/Chain Restaurant Salads
Granted, if you go to a fast food or chain restaurant and order a salad, you’re sort of asking for it. These institutions weren’t founded to provide the people of the United States with interesting combinations of healthful garden fare and the addition of dishes involving fruits and vegetables to…
Cocaine and Ethel Merman: The New Homo Guide Leaves the Audience Wanting More
The set-up: What an intriguing title for playwright/performer L. Robert Westeen’s one-man show: Cocaine and Ethel Merman: The New Homo Guide. Dare I say my ears pricked up? The execution: Queensbury Theatre (formerly Country Playhouse) presents a reprise of Westeen’s coming out monologue, which had its world premiere in Houston…
Rockets Rookie Nick Johnson’s Summer League Dunk Is Awesome (VIDEO)
In the July background of the big free agents in the NBA vying to get their next massive taste of multimillion dollar nectar, and in many respects at the polar opposite end of it, is the NBA’s Summer League. The Summer League takes place in separate sessions in Orlando and…
The Leftovers: The Business of Apocalypse
Maybe it’s just because The Leftovers comes on after a so-far really disappointing final season of True Blood, but I am digging the hell out of this bizarre post-Rapture tale. And honestly? It’s because of a really, really boring reason. Do you know why World War Z (The book) is…
Sticky’s Chicken Food Truck Easy to Find Outside the Marquis II
It’s funny–when I was young I was loath to try any food described as “sticky.” I detested the feeling of edible stuff adhering to my body and can recall one particular time I majorly freaked out because I had lollipop juice all over my fingers and there’s wasn’t a sink…
Summer of Johnny II: 4th of July in Vegas (Where Else?)
Okay, we’ve provided an update on Johnny Manziel’s weekend whereabouts pretty much every weekend since he was drafted by the Browns, so you didn’t think we would go through a weekend in July, a holiday weekend, no less, without a Manziel update, did you? Impossible! No, I mean it, it’s…
Celebrate Bastille Day With a French Chef and the French Cowboy
Every July 14, the French mark the storming of the Bastille in 1789 with La Fête Nationale or Bastille Day. It’s similar to our own Fourth of July in that it commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution, which led to the abolition of feudalism in the country and the…
Concealed Revealed: A Trio of Emerging Artists W/ Experimental Work
The Hunter Gather gallery is off the beaten track for art galleries, ensconced in its intimate space on Gulfton Road, just west of 610. One of strengths is providing an opportunity for emerging artists to present work that may be experimental in nature. The current Concealed Revealed shows the work…
News Reporter Opening at the Houston Press
HoustonPress.Com has an immediate opening for a daily news reporter. We’re looking for a Houston-based, deadline-capable journalist who has a thorough understanding of the local landscape. We need an agile, indigenous web animal to report on and riff off of the day’s stories. We are not after aggregation or news-wire…
Houston’s 10 Best Concerts Between Now and Labor Day
Note: this article has been amended to reflect the fact that Death Grips is no longer with us. Antemasque Fitzgerald’s, August 4 After putting on some of the most exciting live shows of the last decade with their bands At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta, El Paso natives Omar…
Ripe Cuisine Set to Launch Vegan Food Truck With Help From Kickstarter
When Stephanie Hoban moved back to Houston after living in New York for a few years, she was struck by the disappointingly small number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in town. Rather than complain about it, she got to work. The registered dietician and graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute…
Christina Escamilla Writes a Book About Not Writing a Book and It’s Great
It’s been only four months since I got to know local author Christina Escamilla through her amazing anthology, 64 Deaths, and already she’s back with a new and very different novel called The Day the Words Went Away. Rather than exploring a variety of strange endings, she’s gone down-right farcical…
Nancy Ellison’s Celebrity Photos “Altered Egos” on View at Decorative Center Houston
The retrospective of the photographs of Nancy Ellison are about celebrities, but not just any celebrities – they include many of the towering iconic figures of twentieth-century film art – individuals whose film personalities taught us about the world. Where would be without Jack Nicholson, or Sharon Stone? The poorer,…
True Blood: Pointless Naked People
Let me preface this recap with a statement. I like tits. I do. I really do. I like naked ladies a very great deal. I know that the mammary glands are made for the rearing of children, but I unabashedly love them just for the funny feeling they give me…
The Most Underrated Tex-Mex Restaurants in Houston…According to You
We have a joke here at the Houston Press that if we want people to read our stories, we need only to put “burgers,” “barbecue” or “Tex-Mex” in the headline. Houstonians are very loyal to the trifecta that makes up what’s arguably our signature cuisine: Meat, meat and Mexican food…
Three Stupid Things People From Other Places Think About Houston
Houston is often criticized or lampooned by people from other parts of the country, but all that really means is that this city is notable enough to draw fire. People don’t usually talk about boring places. Still, a lot of the stereotypes that get flung our way are just silly,…
UPDATED: The Best Acts Not on the 2014 HPMA Ballot Are…
UPDATE (Tuesday, 9 a.m.) to clarify a few reader questions about the write-in process. (Wednesday, 10 a.m.): also updated in re: duplicate voting. When Rocks Off announced the 2014 Houston Press Music Award nominees last month, some readers were taken aback by our new method of choosing the nominees. This…
The 20 Best Songs We Heard in June
“Big Blue Hole,” David Olney “Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, all them saints are dead and gone / Amy Winehouse and Curt Cobain, they ain’t comin’ back here again.” David Olney is like the black sheep rounder uncle the family wanted you to stay away from. A former running bud…
The Five Best Concerts in Houston This Week: Queen & Adam Lambert, New Edition, etc.
Free Radicals AvantGarden, July 7 Free Radicals is both Nick Cooper’s revolving-door ensemble that at any given moment could be playing free jazz, Latin funk or brass-band music, and also Cooper’s ongoing testimonial to how much he digs being a member of the Houston music community. He has so much…
PTSD, Scared Shitless Pets and Other Things to Know About 4th of July Fireworks
The Fourth of July is a fun holiday, and a great time for friends and family to get together and celebrate. But if you live in a city like Houston, it’s also time for fireworks to appear on the horizon again. Besides, who doesn’t like a horizon full of cool…
What’s in Fashion: President Bush Honors Fashion Great, Kate and Will Get a Makeover
Lots of breaking fashion news hits the interwebs and I don’t want you to miss one bit of it. So, I present some of the biggest headlines each week for your reading pleasure. Click and enjoy!…
The Texas Drought (After All This Rain) Is Still a Thing
It seems like there’s been a lot more rain lately, but don’t let all that moisture from the sky fool you. Houston is doing better, but a chunk of Texas is still in a condition that is commonly known as drought…
Behemoth Burgers & Boozy Shakes at Bowlero Bowling Alley
I grew up in The Woodlands, so many birthday parties, Saturday father-daughter dates, and outings with friends were spent at AMF Woodlands Lanes on I-45 across from The Woodlands Mall. A lot of memories were made in this bowling alley, but all of the good ones never involved food. In…
Podcast: A Hard Day’s Night Gets a Beautiful Re-Release on Its 50th Anniversary
Janus FilmsOn this week’s Voice Film Club episode, film critics Alan Scherstuhl, Amy Nicholson and Stephanie Zacharek race through the latest (and the most terrible) Transformers movie (2:01), Earth to Echo (13:14), and Tammy (16:30). They then discuss Life Itself (21:54), a film about the life of the late Roger…
Houston Restaurants Observe Ramadan With Sehri and Iftar
Ramadan began on June 28, meaning observant Muslims across the world are participating in the month-long fast that makes up one of the Five Pillars of Islam. From dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from a number of activities including eating and drinking. During these, the longest, hottest days of the…
deadhorse Cock Their Latest Loaded Gun
Fittingly enough for a date on the calendar mostly set aside for loud, colorful explosions, today marks the release of the first new deadhorse music to be unleashed in 18 years or so. Following through on a threat they made nearly two years ago, the Houston thrash idols have delivered…
When was the Last Time You Visited a Downtown Houston Park?
As you read this, it may be pouring rain outside. Alternatively, it may be so bright outside that you’re not sure if you’re in the greatest state in the union or on the best star in our solar system. This is Texas, so it really could be either. Hell, this…
The Seven Best Patriotic Things About Houston
It’s July 4, Independence Day. A day for Americans to get drunk in the name of patriotism. And in that patriotic spirit, we know every city in the United States is American, but Houston might be the most ‘Merican of them all. Here are seven reasons why:…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Happy Birthday, Hugo’s!
Hugo’s 12th Birthday @ Hugo’s Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 1600 Westheimer Birthday parties are great because there’s always something sweet involved and nine times out of ten, it’s cake. Hugo’s will celebrate its 12th year in business this afternoon by serving its guests a free slice of birthday…
10 Artsy/Cultural Houston-Only Summer To-Dos
Summer in Houston is, well let’s just say the obvious, really freaking hot. Unlike our coasts to the east and the west, the Gulf Coast dampness makes a person want to hibernate indoors from May through September. But even at 99 degrees and 100 percent humidity, we Houstonians persevere. It…
Nashville Stars Step Onstage But Not Out of Character
It’s been several decades, since The Monkees and The Partridge Family, that a television show about fictional musicians has turned its actors into real-life singing stars. Maybe it was MTV’s fault, or the flood of reality programming, but the ’80s through ’00s were painfully short on shows capitalizing on the…
Five Incredibly Patriotic WWE Moments to Help Celebrate 4th of July
We turn 238 years old today! Indeed, our little nation is all growns up! And we growns up and we growns up and we growns up! It’s a day to celebrate all that makes our nation great — barbecue, cold beer, fireworks (in most states), speedy internet, television with a…
100 Creatives: Mallory Bechtel, Musical Theater Triple Threat (Actor/Singer/Dancer)
There’s a story in the Bechtel family about the moment they learned that then four-year-old daughter Mallory could sing. “I was in a dance class,” the now 14-year-old tells us. “We had to sing a Christmas song while we danced … when I came home I told my mom, ‘They…
Fifteen Best #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave Tweets
A big part of the satisfaction we get from watching sports is about witnessing greatness, experiencing that jump to a higher place when we know we are watching something special. Tim Howard gave that to all of us here in America on Tuesday afternoon. In a 2-1 losing effort against…
Upcoming Events: The Perry’s Steakhouse 4444 Special Returns
The Perry’s Steakhouse 4444 special is back this summer and because the steakhouse is celebrating its 35th anniversary, the four-course special will be available throughout July and August. Choose one item from four courses on the prix fixe menu for $44 after 4 p.m. every day. Begin with Perry’s Signature…
Cacao & Cardamom to Open Storefront in the Galleria Area Today
For the past two years, Annie Rupani’s Cacao & Cardamom chocolates have won first place in the dessert/cheese plate category at the Rodeo’s Best Bites competition, an honor bestowed by area food writers and local celebrities. It’s no small feat, especially considering Rapani is only 25 years old. Even more…
Openings & Closings: Confusion at Osteria Mazzantini
Unlike past weeks, this week was filled with upsetting and shocking closings. First, let’s start with Osteria Mazzantini. On Tuesday, July 1, chef and owner John Sheely informed CultureMap Houston that his newest restaurant, Osteria Mazzantini, which opened in August 2013, would serve its last meal on Saturday, July 5…
Mayor Annise Parker Looks Forward to Tossing Out Anti-HERO Petition
Mayor Annise Parker’s seen some shit, least of which are sloppy petitions. Opponents of Houston’s newly passed anti-discrimination law submitted a petition to repeal it in the 11th hour today, boasting 50,000 signatures for a measure that only required about 17,000. The mayor responded in an announcement at City Hall…
The 5 Best Things to Do This Weekend in Houston: Celebrate 4th of July with Cannons, the Beatles and Cocaine and Ethel Merman
In honor of the nation’s freedom, the Houston Symphony presents “ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights: Star-Spangled Salute,” a Friday night performance where children and families are welcome to come and hang out under the stars as conductor Michael Krajewski and the Houston Symphony put on a show. There’ll be patriotic, heartfelt…
Diverse Bands Sound a Grace Note for Homeless Youth
Mayor Annise Parker declared July 5, 2013 “Doomstress Alexis Day,” in honor of the Project Armageddon front woman’s dedication to Houston’s LGBT community. “Immediately after, fans, friends and both music and LGBT community supporters were asking what I was planning for 2014,” she says. “I truly felt that Doomstress Alexis…
Five Artists Cameron Crowe Should Base His TV Show On
Director Cameron Crowe has never made a TV show before, but he’s currently at work developing one for Showtime, treading some familiar territory for him: rock bands. Specifically, he’ll be turning his attention onto roadies, and the trials and tribulations they go through while working for famous rockers. There’s probably…
Discover A Hard Day’s Night All Over Again
Note: this article was written by VMG film critic Stephanie Zacharek. Let’s get the obvious over with: The early days of the Beatles, as reflected in Richard Lester’s ebullient shout of freedom A Hard Day’s Night, were all about the optimism of the early 1960s, a thrilling and energizing time…
The 10 Best Concerts in Houston This Weekend: Freedom Over Texas, Tony! Toni! Tone!, etc.
Freedom Over Texas Eleanor Tinsley Park & Sam Houston Park, July 4 Now in its 28th year as the City of Houston’s official star-spangled salute to the good ol’ U.S. of A., Freedom Over Texas is speaking with a noticeable country twang this year. Featuring four stages and numerous other…
Brad Woodard: Beloved Houston Newsman Found Dead
Reporter Brad Woodard, an award-winning former reporter for KHOU, was found dead Wednesday. We have no word yet on the cause of death. He would have turned 52 at the end of the month. Woodard was admired and respected by his peers, and racked up 26 Emmys during his time…
Rice Professor Will Study People Displaced by Houston’s Residential Developments
It doesn’t take a lot of looking around to see new construction all over the place in Houston. A Rice sociologist wants to find out who is being affected by Houston’s rapid residential development. Led by sociology professor Steven Murdock, the former head of the U.S. Census Bureau, Rice will…
Reality Bites: The People’s Couch
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. Remember those YouTube clips that came out after the “Rains of Castamere” episode of Game of Thrones, showing non-book readers’ reacting to the Red Wedding? Those were fun, in their…
Texas Blizzard Shave Ice Receives a Proclamation from the (Dairy) Queen
blizzard (bliz´erd) n. 1 a severe thunderstorm characterized by colt temperatures and heavy drifting of snow 2 an overwhelming number or amount; deluge 3 a frozen treat made by Dairy Queen and only Dairy Queen. No, wait, that third definition isn’t accurate, though it may soon be if the fast…
Daryl Morey Speaks Out on Jeremy Lin, Carmelo Anthony Situation
“That’s my house, and that’s my car. That’s my dog in my back yard…there’s my kids, and that’s my wife. Who’s that man runnin’ my life?” — Toby Keith In the song “Who’s That Man” by Toby Keith, the protagonist in the song is driving through the town and past…
Where to Eat in Honor of the Top 8 Teams in the World Cup
Yes, yes, we’re all heartbroken over the United States’ heartwrenching, nail biting loss to Belgium on Tuesday. We’re bitter and angry but damn proud of our team (especially Tim Howard–hey, Superman!). Just because the home team is out of the running doesn’t mean we’re going to stop watching games and…
Even Wile E. Coyote Must Think CSN Houston Is Poorly Conceived
We’ve all seen the Wile E. Coyote cartoons. Those classic Warner Bros. cartoons where the coyote ran through the desert trying to catch the Road Runner. And we all remember the grand plans Wile E. would hatch, most of them courtesy of ACME and most being incredibly complicated Rube Goldberg…
Recipe of the Week: Alabama White Sauce
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. See the complete list of recipes at the end of this post. With summer in full swing, we’re taking a look at a good ol’-fashioned Southern barbecue stable: Alabama white sauce…
Here’s an Update on the 2014 HPMA Ceremony
We won’t keep you long, but we wanted to pass along some information about this year’s Houston Press Music Awards ceremony now that we have it. The 2014 HPMA ceremony is set for Thursday, August 7 at Warehouse Live. The ceremony itself is invitation-only for nominees and their guests, but…
NBA Free Agency Day 2: Carmelo Anthony Gets Wined and Dined
Rockets Free Agent-Palooza 2014 continued on Wednesday with a little controversy, some good food, and a lot of Melo. In a visit that may ultimately be most remembered for pissing off one of the players currently (for now) on their roster, the Rockets wined, dined, and wooed Carmelo Anthony, making…
Reviews for the Lazy Gamer: Elite Sniper III
Game: Elite Sniper III Platform: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC Publisher/Developer: Rebellion Developments/505 Games Genre: Shooter Describe This Game in Three Words: It’s Bullet Porn Score: 5 out of 10 Synopsis: OSS sniper Karl Fairburne is called to North Africa in World War II to snipe the Axis…
Assemble Your Search Party! Find Waldo Returns to Houston in July
How long will it take you to spot Waldo at the 16 local businesses participating in this year’s Find Waldo” scavenger hunt? Sharp-eyed searchers will need to be on the lookout for a red-and-white striped T-shirt and knitted cap this month, as local businesses once again host this fun tribute…
The 5 Best Brunch Spots in The Woodlands
In Houston, we’re pretty serious about our brunch. Whether it be migas and breakfast tacos or chicken and waffles and loaded Bloody Marys, we have no shortage of awesome spots to get our brunch on. Keeping later hours and killer cocktails in mind, we’ll be taking a look at some…
Where’s Beyoncé When You Need Her to Explain “Single Ladies” to Fox News?
We heard about the “Beyoncé voters” Fox News host Jesse Watters explained on a segment of “Outnumbered” — a show where, you guessed it he was outnumbered and surrounded by a semicircle of women. He was talking about Hilary Clinton and how Clinton criticized the Supreme Court’s decision on Burwell…
The Rocks Off 200: Breelan Angel, Dirty Little Secret Keeper
Welcome to The Rocks Off 200, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See previous entries in the Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? If there’s…
The Best Comics in June Part 2: Lucifer and Southern Justice
Each month the staff at 8th Dimension Comics picks out the best book to review. Check out Part 1. Justice League #31: I skipped the whole Forever Evil crossover event because when I bothered to read a few of the villain one-shots like Killer Croc I just couldn’t be any…
A Timeline of a Failed Attempt to Witness Carmelo Anthony’s Historic Visit to Houston
I awoke Wednesday morning to an email from my editor about a giant, shiny sign. And not just any sign, a photoshopped sign of Carmelo Anthony in a Rockets jersey lit on the screen outside of Toyota Center. The Rockets have rolled out the welcome mat for free agent Carmelo…
100 Favorite Dishes 2014-15: No. 83: Porkobuco at Brooklyn Athletic Club
Once again, Kaitlin Steinberg is eating her way through Houston and counting down her 100 favorite dishes as we work our way toward our annual Menu of Menus® issue and culinary extravaganza. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most delicious, most creative and, of course,…
Slim Thug REALLY Wants the Rockets to Sign Carmelo Anthony
Oh, what a funny business the NBA is. And nothing is funnier than the league’s free-agency season, when Monopoly money is tossed at players who either a) deserve it; b) probably have photos of your GM doing unimaginable things; or c) happen to have the names Jeremy and Lin. You…
Best Eight Houston Businesses to Visit in Case They Ever Close for Good
Houston is a city of constant evolution and rebirth. And I think more than anything else, the ever-changing landscape is what defines this city for me. Houston seems to continually be in a state of flux, modernizing or reinventing parts of its past in favor of newer development. This cycle…
Rest of the Best 2014: Houston’s Top 10 Painters
Before we get to the list of Houston’s Top 10 Painters, we’d like to make a quick statement about who isn’t on this list. There are lots of talented, gifted local painters that we didn’t mention here. That’s not because we don’t appreciate their work, but because we defined the…
Fourth of July Barbecue Tips From Houston Pitmasters Ronnie Killen & Will Buckman
There’s no question that the Fourth of July is a barbecuing holiday. Today is the day before this meat-feast celebration, so we wanted to help you decide what to plop on the grill this year by getting expert advice and ideas from a couple Houston barbecue pitmasters. We spoke with…
Venomous Maximus Prepare for the Coming of the Firewalker
If there’s a more hotly anticipated album release from a Houston band penciled in for this year than Venomous Maximus’ Firewalker, you can bet that it ain’t gonna rock nearly as hard. The local metal faves have been working on new music since last year, doling out bits and pieces…
rePLAY: Symphony of Heroes
Long gone are the days when video game music consisted of annoying beeps and boops. For more than a decade now, sweeping symphonic scores have been as important to the game experience as the complex visuals. It’s become a business as significant as the production of movie scores and draws…
Revivals: A Hard Day’s Night
As the exclusive Houston venue for the 50th anniversary of the film A Hard Day’s Night, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, should be Beatlemania through and through. The film has been restored, and is now enhanced with all the visuals and audio you could ask for. Giles Martin, son…
Tim O’Mara: Crooked Numbers
As a teacher in the New York City public school system, Tim O’Mara may have learned a thing or two about navigating a crowd. That will be a good skill to have during his book signing at Murder by the Book, since this popular author will be on hand to…
A Small Family Business
The National Theatre of London now films stage productions of selected hit plays and presents them for limited runs in movie theaters. The production uses multiple cameras, and employs devices such as close-ups to provide emotional or comic intensity not easily available in a huge theater. A Small Family Business…
“Beyond Graphite: Fab 15 + Performance”
G gallery, in conjunction with ArtHouston 2014, presents the exhibit “Beyond Graphite: Fab 15 + Performance,” which includes established artists but also provides an opportunity to see the work of emerging artists. Catherine D. Anspon of PaperCity curated the exhibition, and describes its variety most interestingly: “Wheelbarrow-driving art car artists…
The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project
The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project is a series of billboards that will unfold along Interstate 10 from Florida to California through spring 2015, including at selected locations in Houston June 21 to July 31. It is presented by LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division) and features a work by Eve Fowler…
Cocaine and Ethel Merman: The New Homo Guide
After a successful Houston run in June 2012 that made L. Robert Westeen a finalist for the Best Playwright award at the 2012 Houston Theater Awards, Cocaine and Ethel Merman: The New Homo Guide will appear in Houston once more. Originally developed by Westeen as a performance piece about his…
“More Real Than Reality Itself”
The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston presents “More Real than Reality Itself,” videos from four highly original artists, each with a point of view that intrigues with individuality. Laure Prouvost uses rapid-fire, short-form works (It, Heat, Hit and How to Make Money Religiously) to suggest a reasonable narrative, then pulls the…
My Ex Is a Cheating Man-Whore. Help!
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! I NEED HELP WITH KISSING A GIRL FOR THE FIRST TIME Dear Willie D: There’s this…
“Life: Survivor Portraits”
While the subject matter of “Life: Survivor Portraits” may be a bit dark, the true meaning behind this series by Kelly Lee Webeck is celebration. The portrait series celebrates Holocaust Museum Houston’s 18th year, as well as the lives of Holocaust survivors. It’s a unique look inside the lives each…
Mary Sarah has Some Fancy Friends
We don’t blame you if you worry about the future of country music. The rise and immense popularity of bro-country may be good for making money but it isn’t exactly making classics. Perhaps that’s why Mary Sarah is a breath of fresh air, even when she’s covering country classics. Face…
Dinesh D’Souza’s America: The Vainglorious Huckster Trembles Before Another Left-Wing Conspiracy
Here are some of the triumphant moments of recent history that make it into the climactic montage in America, the latest “America’s perfect!”/”America’s doomed!” pant load from felonious troll Dinesh D’Souza: Jackie Robinson rounding home. Elvis Presley swinging his hips. Ronald Reagan and the Berlin Wall. Boxed copies of Windows…
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a Stellar Sequel
Who knows why, but the sight of apes sitting tall and proud on horseback is stirring in a primal way. That’s one of the best images in Matt Reeves’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel to the enormously successful 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes…
Paul Haggis’s Third Person Is a Baffling Rough-Draft Epic
If a toddler tried to re-create the mystifying behavior of adults, it would look a lot like Paul Haggis’s Third Person, a drama where grown-ups scream and cry and kiss for reasons that are confounding even to those who understand speech. The film follows a handful of couples, or really,…
ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights:A Star-Spangled Salute
In honor of the nation’s freedom, the Houston Symphony presents ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights:A Star-Spangled Salute, a one-night performance where children and families are welcome to come and hang out under the stars as conductor Michael Krajewski and the Houston Symphony put on a show. There’ll be patriotic, heartfelt performances…
10 Acts We’d Pay to See Play in a Graveyard
Typically, tour announcements come and go with little fanfare around here, especially when it’s a band like Austin natives Spoon. We love Spoon a lot, and frankly would like to see Houston’s name on more tour announcements like the one that recently caught our eye, albeit for an entirely different…
From Sea to Shining Sea, Meet America’s Worst Politicians
It seems as if not a day goes by without more news that a politician somewhere in the Land of Liberty has done something disappointing. Sometimes it’s a sound bite you can’t believe any rational human being would say out loud; sometimes it’s a scandal you can’t believe an elected…
Appreciate the Ceviche and Ceviche House Will Feel Like Home
Halfway through the meal, everyone in the restaurant was standing, leaning slightly forward, staring at one wall of the restaurant with expressions of mixed fear, anticipation and excitement. No one except me was paying any attention to the food. As I picked up a translucent sliver of raw tilapia with…
Houston Actor John Stevens Brings Out the Demons and Genius
Barrymore on Broadway won the brilliant actor Christopher Plummer the 1997 Tony Award as Best Actor for portraying John Barrymore, the youngest son of an acting dynasty and probably the greatest Shakespearean actor of his generation. Barrymore’s performances as Richard III and Hamlet were acclaimed and memorable. Barrymore had classic…
E.T. Update Earth to Echo Makes Everything a Device
Earth to Echo is a slender kiddie flick about a quartet of preteens and their palm-size alien pal that’s at once bland, well-intentioned and utterly terrifying about the mental development of modern children. As in the most honest kids’ films, our five-foot heroes admit to being isolated, unhappy and cowed…
Transformers: Age of Extinction: At Least the Product Placement Is Interesting
Believe it or not, during Transformers: Age of Extinction, Michael Bay’s fourth rattling of the toy box, I felt one moment of near transcendence. Three-fourths of the way through the punishing 165-minute runtime—and fifteen minutes after my seatmate took off her 3-D glasses in exhaustion—my brain left my body, crying…
The Heat, Turned Down
It’s a relief, after the wretched Identity Thief, to see movies whose makers love Melissa McCarthy as much as audiences do. Identity Thief’s comic centerpiece was predicated on the idea that McCarthy having sex is a hilarious gross-out, like she’s the pie Jason Biggs once had to diddle. Half an…
And Deliver Us From the Anemic Spook Story Deliver Us From Evil
Horror, like porno, can be judged only by its effect on your pulse. If you jerked in your seat, it served its function. Biology requires us to react to jump scares, just it urges a lonely man to thrill to a great set of tits. But triggering a coronary reaction…
Fifty Years on, A Hard Day’s Night Is Still Revelatory
Let’s get the obvious over with: The early days of the Beatles, as reflected in Richard Lester’s ebullient shout of freedom AHard Day’s Night, were all about the optimism of the early 1960s, a thrilling and energizing time when young people, and even some older ones, truly believed that the…
Capsule Art Reviews: July 3, 2014
“Alongside” The Barbara Davis Gallery’s exhibition of “Alongside,” a group showing of nine artists, is international indeed, with some Houston contributors joined by artists from New York, Sweden and Denmark and one who was born in Israel and now resides in Providence, Rhode Island. Dominating the entrance is Snowcanoes by…
Capsule Stage Reviews: July 3, 2014
I Wish You Love This play is a slice-of-life segment of a single year, 1957, in the life of Nat King Cole, a trip down memory lane with a performer singing his hit songs, interspersed with some backstage material and poignant references to the emerging civil rights movement. The setting…
Border Policy and Racial Identity
Dear Mexican, The tragedy currently playing out on the U.S. southern border has reminded me to once again ask my three-years-ago-posed and perhaps-more-relevant-than-ever question (slightly tweaked): If the U.S. had sponsored and funded infrastructural, educational, social and economic development in Mexico and Central America during the 1950s to the 1980s in the…
