Rahul Mitra: “Dialogues from Disparate Worlds”
The stark black-and-white linocut prints are striking: hungry people in the street, barefoot boys with livestock juxtaposed with a man driving a new automobile, faces fraught with despair but not with capitulation. This is the work of artist Rahul Mitra based on his own experiences in India, in “Dialogues from…
Food Destination: Hershey’s Chocolate World
While visiting central Pennsylvania this past weekend, my sisters and I once again went to Hershey’s Chocolate World, an assortment of chocolate-themed attractions primarily designed for children but enjoyable nonetheless for three female twenty-somethings. Save some spiffy renovations and a few new exhibits, much of what I remembered was the…
XXXL Bandit — How Did This Guy Get Away?
First it was the “Fashionable Felon.” Now the FBI’s making fat jokes.Is this a crime-fighting agency or Project Runway? What Not to Wear (When Robbing a Bank)?Meet the “XXXL Bandit,” who eats because he’s sad and is sad because he eats, if Austin Powers can be trusted. He knocked over…
Chef Chat, Part 1: John Brand of Las Canarias and Pesca on the River
San Antonio’s John Brand is executive chef at Las Canarias at the Omni La Mansion del Rio, along with Pesca on the River at the Watermark Hotel. We were able to catch him during a brief visit to Houston, when we discussed the process of writing corporate menus — and…
Win Katy Perry-Signed Guitar At Girls Rock Camp Benefit Thursday
Girls Rock Camp Houston recently surpassed its fundraising pledge goal with room to spare, but that doesn’t mean the hard work is over. This week the nonprofit, which organizes a musical summer camp for girls aged 8-18, will have two more fundraising events to help buy supplies for the inaugural…
Five French Foods That Aren’t French
In honor of Bastille Day, many an American will be chowing down on greasy French fries tonight, using the excuse of “Hey, it’s French independence day” as an excuse to gorge on the tasty fried potatoes. But, damn, there are simply so many things wrong with the statement above. Let’s…
Metro Light Rail Expands Hours For Bike Riders
Metro and BikeHouston have reached an agreement that expands the hours bike riders will be allowed on light-rail trains.Bikes are still barred during peak travel hours in the morning and afternoon, but the definition of “peak hours” has changed.Bikes can now be carried onto trains anytime except 6:30-9 a.m. and…
A Healthier Reuben at Zoe’s Kitchen
It was fate that put me in the vicinity of Zoe’s Kitchen (4000 Washington) on Monday afternoon, having run some errands in the area and suddenly feeling the sharp pangs of the all too well-known “Hey, idiot, it’s 2 p.m. and you haven’t eaten lunch yet!” hunger come on. Zoe’s…
The Octanes Find Some Eerie Parallels With Grease 2
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 sheaserrano@gmail.com. When we were growing up, our grandfather used…
IllegalAlienReport.Com Lets You Report Those Invaders Anonymously
Good news, Texas!!Not only is there finally a way to report all those illegal aliens you see stealing jobs everyday — we mean besides just calling ICE — but there’s even more good news: the are only two places in Texas with illegal aliens!!So we have to wonder what all…
Five Musicians Who Can Help Mel Gibson Reform His Image
Just in case you haven’t heard the audio tapes of famed actor/ultra-religious headcase Mel Gibson unleashing slur-filled invective at his wife Oksana Grigorieva, you can listen to them here, but you’ve got to be warned, it is not even remotely safe for work unless you work in a Neo-Nazi biker…
Wine of the Week: Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz (2008)
So what’s the best way to obsess over Lois, Houston’s resident corpse flower? Why, snuggle up to the live webcam on the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s site and grab a bottle of wine. The Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz is just the wine to curl up with in front of…
Sakara Ross: I Ain’t No Jump-Off Girl, No Matter What That NBA-Groupies Site Says
What would you do if you felt someone libeled you on a website, but the site’s owner was untraceable and couldn’t be served with a lawsuit? Such is the fate of Houstonian Sakara Ross, who wants to be a model and actress, but who’s only getting attention for allegedly being a…
Yes, There Is An HPMA Best Zydeco Category After All
Rocks Off likes to think we’re man enough to admit when we’ve made a mistake, and now’s our chance to prove it. When we clicked through the nomination ballot last month, and then went over the pages and pages of documents with the results, somehow we managed to miss Best…
Recipe Testing: Almond Cookies
I’ve been on a diet for the last few weeks in preparation for an upcoming vacation (involving swimsuits, shudder). The diet is unpleasantly grain- and refined sugar-restrictive, but I was clued in by a friend that there was almond flour that could be used in making things that wouldn’t technically…
Wednesday Night Is The Loveliest Night Of The Week
Don’t look now, but Wednesday is one of the hotter musical nights these days, not that there isn’t something for everyone almost every night if you’ve got your nose to the ground. Here’s a brief report of what’s catching Rocks Off’s attention lately. 1. Puffabelly’s (in Old Town Spring): If…
Game Time: Kyle Lowry — Party On, Daryl Morey
Anyone who went to a college with fraternities, sororities, or even just big-time football weekends knows what it’s like to live on that row of houses or apartments where every Friday and Saturday is a parade of different keg parties.It’s loud, it’s raucous, and usually pretty damn fun. But sometimes…
Brew Blog: Real Ale’s Sisyphus Barleywine Ale
A loyal reader of Brew Blog whined to us last week about the recent foray into winter beers when it’s, well, not winter outside. But we tend not to agonize over our pickings when buying beer. The heart (gut? palate?) wants what it wants. This week’s pick, Real Ale’s Sisyphus…
Tasleemah Harvey, 37, Bayou Body Count No. 176
A 37-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her estranged husband on the far west side early yesterday afternoon, but police indicate the husband might have been acting in self-defense.Tasleemah Harvey was pronounced dead at the scene in the 12400 block of Bexley about 2:15 p.m.She and her husband, Zachariah…
Ten French Lyrics Google-Translated For Bastille Day
Here at Rocks Off, we loves us some French culture. French toast, French horns, French breakfast, The French Connection, French ticklers… wait, never mind. We even took a whole semester in college once. Seriously, though, we are big fans of Bizet, Berlioz, Debussy, Edith Piaf, Air, Justice, these guys and…
Sheyla Hershey, Seeker Of World’s Biggest Boobs, Pays A Price
Last year we chatted with Sheyla Hershey of Houston and were baffled by her seeming inability to see the madness inherent in her plastic-surgery quest to get the world’s biggest boobs.Now that quest has taken its toll: Fox 26 reports that Hershey, a native of Brazil, have led to a…
Sampler Plate: This Week In Food Blogs
Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Cook’s Tour: After many years of being a holdout despite her long-term…
George Steinbrenner: One More Eulogy
I hate the New York Yankees. I hate that they win all of the time. And I hate that everything that happens in baseball seems to revolve around the Yankees. I hate that the team has its own network. And that the Yankees have a seemingly endless supply of money…
Last Night: Nekromantix, The Howlers And The Mutilators At The Warsaw
Nekromantix, The Howlers, The Mutilators The Warsaw July 13, 2010 Last time Aftermath visited the Warsaw for its (not so) grand opening, the turnout was terrible. This time around, we were pleasantly surprised to see that some Houstonians actually showed up. The place was packed with psychobilly and punk fans…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #6 Barbecued Ribs at Pizzitola’s
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
Paul Wall All Smiles At Album-Release Party
4:41 p.m.: Ack. Driving from the far south side of town to the far north side of town between 4:15 and 6:15 p.m. has to be what it felt like to drive from one side of Texas to the other by stagecoach. This is the worst. Hopefully we packed enough…
Salt Preview Passes, And A Complete List Of The Good Angelina Jolie Movies of The Decade
Salt is a highly anticipated film, starring Angelina Jolie as a female Bourne. Lots of action, lots of acting by Jolie’s lips.Who wouldn’t want to see it?Well, possibly anyone who’s gone to an Angelina Jolie in the past ten years.Among her films in the past decade:…
Stirred and Shaken: 1820 Bar’s Bo-Tang
Outside of the occasional pedicab and the 24-hour glow of bail bondsmen’s office lights, the northeast side of downtown was dead and dark on Tuesday evening. This isn’t a good sign for the Astros considering I was two blocks from Minute Maid Park during a home game. But at 1820…
Presenting… Theremin Hero!
Every day Rocks Off trolls the tubes of you in search of videos deemed worthy to share. If you have something you think deserves to be video of the day, send a link to jef_rouner@yahoo.com. You’re thinking, “It’s a joke or a parody or a trick,” but you are so,…
Cougars Want Sex, UT Study Determines
If Hair Balls ever approached a bunch of cougars (the human kind) and asked a series of questions about their sexual fantasies and escapades, we’d probably get pepper-sprayed. But when a team of researches at the University of Texas-Austin did it, they got published.In an article in this month’s edition…
Avianca Cortez, 13, Detrihanna Davis, 13 and RaShaunda Raleigh, 17, Bayou Body Counts No. 173-175
Intoxication manslaughter charges have been filed against a man who prosectors say was drunk when he ran a red light and broadsided an SUV, killing three passengers.Sajan Timalshina, 25, was driving a Toyota Camry on the feeder road at Beltway 8 and the Eastex Freeway about 1 a.m. Friday. The…
Craigslist’s Houston Missed Connections: Highlights, Including Leia Doing Han Solo In His Car
Occasionally we take a look at Craigslist’s “Missed Connections” for Houston, an ephemeral limning of the psyche of our town in these desperate days. Five recent highlights:1. I am looking for the kind of person who leaves their kid sweltering in a hot car…
The Shameless Chef: Cookies In a Skillet
While hunting through some old family recipes looking for inspiration, I came across a yellowed, stained note card with the recipe for something called “Baptist Cookies,” and I was intrigued. Obvious jokes aside (“Do they contain real Baptists?”), I wondered what the hell a Baptist cookie was, never having heard…
Ramiro C. Lozano, World’s Dumbest Child Pornographer, Gets 20 Years
Most child pornographers are caught when law enforcement gains access to private, secure web groups.Then there are the child pornographers who get caught when they pass out on the side of the road in a car filled with their sick handiwork.Ramiro C. Lozano, 47, of Brownsville — a school choir…
10 Best Houston Sports Moments: We Want Your Input
With no more (or better) motivation than It Needs To Be Done, we are looking to set forth a formal, unimpeachable, inarguable list of Houston’s all-time top ten sports moments/events/happenings.These can be as specific as Earl Campbell’s legendary Monday Night Football run, or just the games themselves, or even things…
Five Tips for Getting Started Homebrewing
Doak Procter, the Grand Wazoo from local homebrewing club The Foam Rangers, helped me to come up with five tips to help people who are interested in home-brewing get started. Here’s some advice for how to take up a rewarding and delicious hobby. 1) Learn firsthand: As Doak puts it…
17 Albums That Smell Better Than The Corpse Flower
Unless you have been living under a rock or maybe an underpass off 290, you no doubt know about the mania surrounding the corpse flower over at the Houston Museum of Natural Science that is poised to bloom this week sometime. Hell, it could bloom right now as we type…
Unidentified Male In His 20s, Bayou Body Count No. 172
A man in his 20s was found lying in the street about 2:15 this morning, dead from multiple gunshot wounds.His identity is being withheld pending notification of his family.Police say they received a call of a shooting in the 3600 block of Lehall on the south side of town. When…
Lemongrass Fried Pomfret
I’m told that my first solid food was fried fish. Whether or not that’s true, it has been a long time favorite of mine. Sure, frying fish will make the whole house smell like, well, fried fish. And though I understand that some may gag at the thought of it…
Glenn Beck Exposes A Houston Media Conspiracy, As Only He Can
Last Friday, at a home in a quiet northwest Houston neighborhood, a 62-year-old woman opened a package containing what she thought was a box of chocolates. Unfortunately, it contained a pipe bomb: she took shrapnel to the face and was rushed to the hospital. Several days later, local media reported…
Win A Pair Of Tickets To Odd Pair
More than half the tickets to our upcoming Odd Pair event at Absolve on July 25 have already been snapped up. Have you bought yours yet? Like its namesake column, Odd Pair will present an array of eight different tasting stations — each with a food and wine pairing quite…
KLOL Lives; DJ Shortee Benefit Sunday; Dallas Loves Indian Jewelry
• The always-entertaining video blog Keep Houston Rich shared with us this early-’90s television commercial for “Houston’s only album rock station,” KLOL. “Word on the street is that this ran during a Miami Vice episode,” the bloggers write, which reminds us of this epic TV spot covering Morrissey’s visit to…
Game Time: George Steinbrenner, 1930-2010
I hated the Yankees growing up. No…I mean it, I HATED them. I hate them still now, but it’s sort of a numb, latent, “I’m hating them because I’m just supposed to” kind of hate.When I was a teenager growing up in Connecticut worshiping Jim Rice, Dwight Evans, and Yaz,…
When Does Rapper Diva Syndrome Become Understandable?
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. Have something you always wanted to ask…
Local Spotlight: Hattermann’s Yard Eggs
WHAT: Farm-fresh eggs from a farmer who’s turned out more eggs than a certain bunny. It’s not easy being an egg farmer. But it’s what Leon Hattermann does best. He’s seen the ups and downs of the egg economy: the celebrated growth in the ’70s, the plunge in the ’80s…
World Air Hockey Championships In Town This Weekend
Houston is, in many ways, an epicenter for air hockey, the bar staple. Students at UH took to the game in the early `70s and the town has never looked back, launching several world champions.You can watch the top players in the world in action this weekend at Reliant Stadium,…
Rocks Off Seeking Local Bands For New Covers Night
It’s been a while since Rocks Off has put on our promoter hat because, well, we’ve been kind of busy around here, but also because we’ve been cooking up an idea we think you’re all going to like. We hope so, anyway. As you may have noticed, it’s not that…
5 Houston Food Fans to Follow on Twitter
For this post, I picked five interesting Twitterers who neither blog, write professionally or have food-related careers. There are many more that fit the criteria, so feel free to add your favorites in the comments. These Twitterers chime in on where to find ingredients, share input on their favorite Houston…
Sandra Thurman Patino: Motorized Wheelchair Scam FAIL, Loses $1M & A Cadillac To Feds
Sandra Thurman Patino, 46, had a pretty good deal going with a Medicare scam involving motorized wheelchairs, but now she’s headed to federal prison for four years.Plus she’s giving up the $1.1 million she had in the bank, and a Cadillac, to the feds.Patino was sentenced by U.S. District Judge…
ACL Fest Releases Schedule; Adds Black Lips, Silversun Pickups
The Austin City Limits Music Festival released the schedule grid for this year’s gathering in Zilker Park Oct. 7-9. The festival also added several bands, including Atlanta garage-punks (and recovering exhibitionists) the Black Lips; pop-punk agitators Ted Leo & the Pharmacists; alt-country swooners Grace Potter & the Nocturnals; Austin dream-twang…
George Steinbrenner’s Best Spoofs Of Himself
A lot of people hated George Steinbrenner, including Yankee fans. But they’d be well-served to remember just how bottom-of-the-barrel the team was when he bought it for $10 million (it’s now worth $2 billion or so).The Stadium was empty, the roster deplete, the minor-league system a joke. It took The…
Indie-Rock Band + Kitchen Knife + Houston Airport = Jail
In “Me & Paul,” from 1971’s Yesterday’s Wine, Willie Nelson sings, “Almost busted in Laredo, for reasons that I’d rather not disclose/ But if you’re staying in a motel there and leave, just don’t leave nothin’ in your clothes.” If Austin-based YellowFever covered “Me & Paul” the way they did…
Wine Cocktails at 13 Celsius
When you think of a wine bar, cocktails aren’t generally the first drink that springs to mind. And even at 13 Celsius (3000 Caroline), where wine-based cocktails (and a few beer-based cocktails, too) have been a staple for many months now, it’s still not the first thing that people order…
Corpse Flower: Five Things To Do While Waiting For It To Bloom
The Houston Museum of Natural Science has been furiously twittering about the ever-impending rare blooming of its corpse flower, a huge plant that becomes extremely smelly — like dead-flesh smelly — on the few occasions it opens up.Trouble is, this rare blooming has been ever-impending since Friday. HMNS’ Butterfly Center…
Upcoming: Chris Isaak, Dr. Dog, Misfits, Of Montreal, Slayer, Etc.
Black Congress, Omotai, Side Arms, The Formations: Sat., Sept. 4. Walter’s on Washington. The Bloody Beetroots: Sat., Oct. 23. House of Blues. Chris Isaak: Sun., Oct. 17. House of Blues. Corinne Bailey Rae: Sun., Aug. 15. House of Blues. Cory Morrow: Wed., July 28. Pub Fiction. Deniz Tek & Friends:…
Houston Aeros Enduring An Off-Season Of Changes
It may be hockey’s off-season, but as with all of the other sports, there is no such thing as a true off-season. Coaches are fired and hired. Players are cut and traded and signed as free agents. There’s a draft. There are various player camps. At this time last year,…
Pop Rocks: You’ll Be Sorry When They’re Gone
Harvey Pekar died yesterday. What was lost in the usual exercise of macabre one-upmanship — as everyone rushed to update Twitter and Facebook in an effort to be the first to break the bad news to all their friends — was the fact that most of them were only aware…
Where Are We Drinking?
The clean lines of the sophisticated bar below could be anywhere in Houston, right? You might be surprised at where this establishment is located — so much so that we included dual views to give you that extra guessing advantage. Think you know where we’re drinking this week? Leave your…
Cover Artiste Brett Domino Is Even Better Than The Real Thing
Every day Rocks Off trolls the tubes of you in search of videos deemed worthy to share. If you have something you think deserves to be video of the day, send a link to jef_rouner@yahoo.com. Sometimes you hear a cover that is so much better than the original that you…
Angelina Jole & Salt: Win Free Preview Passes, And Learn Five Less Frenetic (And We’re Guessing Better) Spy Movies
Angelina Jolie’s big picture — is she in the “needs a hit” category yet? — opens this month, and is generally being described as “a female Bourne” or terms like that.Which means plenty of frantic cutting, shaky camera work, pulsing music, CGI explosions and — well, you know the list…
Obama & JFK: Five Ominous Parallels Someone’s Aware Of, Right?
As the dog days descend upon us, the mind starts to wander.It may wander so much that it occasionally turns into Fox News, although this is not recommended. Same with trolling though right-wing blogs.It’s a scary world out there, folks. And it brings to mind an equally paranoid, hyperventilated time…
Silent Auction To Benefit Gulf Fishermen: Foodie Goodies For Sale
Even if you aren’t attending the upcoming Ceviche Throwdown, you can still help with the Houston Chowhounds’ goal of raising $15,000 to support local Gulf fishermen in the wake of the BP oil spill and ensuing environmental disaster. An online silent auction, organized by head ‘Hound Jenny Wang, went live…
RIP, Harvey Pekar: Why His Letterman Performance Was Great
Harvey Pekar died today.The man’s career is difficult to sum up, especially if you haven’t seen American Splendor. But this 1987 performance on David Letterman’s show gives a taste, not to mention that it demonstrates just how far the Letterman show has changed.Some reasons why the clip is great:…
Trae Day Moved To Northwest Mall, Says Trae
Well, there you have it, hot off of Twitter. Trae Day, which had been searching for a new venue since the International Ballroom backed out a couple of weeks ago, has found a new home at Northwest Mall (9600 Hempstead Hwy., aka U.S. 290) on the same day as originally…
Juan Tejeda & Jorge Magdeleno: After Living Quietly For 16 Years, Arrested On Murder Charges
Another week, another cold-case arrest in Houston.This time it was two men who had been on the run since participating in a gang murder back in 1994, officials say.Jorge Carlos Tejeda, 33 and Jorge Tejeda Magdeleno, 35, were quietly arrested July 7, Tejeda at the tire shop where he worked…
Bobby Heugel’s Weekly Cocktail: Gin and Tonic
The gin and tonic is arguably the world’s favorite highball. Blissfully botanical gin, bubbly tonic and a squeeze of fresh citrus make for a leisurely, refreshing cocktail that always helps to beat the summer heat. While the drink was a staple of the British colonial era, the gin and tonic…
Mark Ivy Gets Set To Rock Little Shop of Horrors At Miller Outdoor Theatre
It’s not too many 6-year-olds who decide to go into musical theater because they want to play a down-on-his-luck floral assistant who discovers a plant with a bloody appetite.But that’s exactly the reaction Mark Ivy had when he first saw Little Shop of Horrors. Enraptured by the singing, dancing and…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #7 Turtle Soup at Brennan’s
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
Free Lindsay Lohan: Chances Hath Spoken!
You get it? Because Lindsay Lohan dated a girl and Chances is a bar where women kiss women on the mouth and hold hands?…
Should Living Rappers Profit From Dead Rappers?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday (that isn’t a national holiday) Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Fat Tony, Candi Redd, Yung Redd Not Invited: Diddy This Week’s Prompt: The other day, 50 Cent started…
Texas Vodka Throwdown Crowns Tito’s As Its King
Longtime Texas favorite Tito’s Handmade Vodka won the Texas Vodka Throwdown by a wide margin on Saturday evening after a blind tasting by 15 judges from the food and media communities. The distillery, based in Austin, is the first and oldest vodka distillery in Texas, and the smooth, sextuple-distilled (that’s…
Game Time: LeBron is Making Me A Texas Longhorn Fan
It’s July, it’s the All-Star break, the Astros have reached the “what P.R. grab can we make?” part of the season about six weeks earlier than usual, and if I may say, hiring Jeff Bagwell as hitting coach should have far-reaching ramifications on the ball club that will last at…
Menudo from Taqueria del Sol
On a Saturday trip to Taqueria del Sol (8114 Park Place Boulevard, 713-644-0535), I realized that since it was the weekend, the place was serving menudo. Yes. The broth-based soup with tripe and hominy (my mother-in-law makes when she is feeling really thrifty in the kitchen) is gross to some…
Ex-Bob Dylan, Steve Earle Steel Player Joins Joe Pug At Mango’s
It was a hard decision, but Lonesome Onry and Mean tore ourselves away from the atomic rock party at the Continental Club’s tenth anniversary celebration Saturday to see Joe Pug at Mango’s. The 26-year-old Chicagoan, who opened solo for Steve Earle at the Crighton Theater in Conroe on last year’s…
Emerald Lake Nudist Resort Goes For World Skinny Dipping Record (NSFW)
Don, a soft-spoken older gentleman with bright blue eyes and the remnants of ruddy hair amidst the gray, spoke to me from a white, plastic lawn chair. Its seat was covered with a towel, one of the cardinal rules at the Emerald Lake Nudist Resort in Porter, just north of…
Last Night: Ted Nugent At The Pasadena Fairgrounds
Ted Nugent Pasadena Fairgrounds July 11, 2010 It was one of the most offensive shows that Aftermath has probably been to, but that didn’t stop us from buying a T-shirt. It was a show that would have made the cast of liberal pundits on CNBC shake their fists in self-righteous…
A Different Kind Of Lawnmower Man
John Nova Lomax’s story on Kenneth Page, who set out to ride a lawnmower from Texas to Florida, has gotten a lot of well-deserved kudos.But we’re afraid it can’t hold a candle to this lawnmower-riding guy. It’s apparently been bouncing around the net for a while, but it’s new to…
Quick and Easy Dessert: Peach Clafouti
A clafouti, which is pronounced, “cluh-fooh’-tee” is a crazy word for a simple, easy dessert. The traditional clafouti, or clafoutis as it is often spelled, hails from France and contains unpitted black cherries in a batter that is a cross between a custard and a pancake…
Little Joe Washington’s Comeback Thrills Continental Anniversary Party
Less than a week after finally going home from the rehabilitation facility where he had been recuperating from a pair of surgeries to clear an obstructed bowel, beloved Houston bluesman Little Joe Washington put on a spellbinding – if brief – performance at the Continental Club’s tenth anniversary party Saturday…
The Astros Host (Gay) Pride Night, And World Somehow Survives
Did you notice something unusual at Minute Maid Park Saturday night?Besides the Astros actually winning a game, we mean.It was Pride at the Park Night, and more than 1,000 members of Houston’s GLBT community were there to watch Carlos Lee go 1-for-4.The event was the Astros’ idea, says Trevor Eade,…
Random Ingredient: Octopus
What is it? With the World Cup finally coming to a close, there’s been a lot of chatter about a certain cephalopod named Paul that resides in Germany. With all due respect to the “octopus oracle,” we present today’s random ingredient. Octopi are actually in the mollusk family. They’re eaten…
Girls Gone Wild At Scout Bar: A Mostly Boobless Bust (NSFW)
As Rocks Off pulled into Scout Bar’s parking lot at 8:30 on Saturday night, we saw a large Girls Gone Wild tour bus with some poor guy’s daughter’s 20-foot image plastered on the side. It made us pray that if we ever have children, we have boys. Perhaps we had…
Three Easy Recipe Swaps
Dieting is tough. Sometimes, you may think that your favorite recipes are now off limit, that you will have to say bye-bye to making until you reach your goal weight. Not true! Here are some simple swaps for your at home cooking and baking to effortlessly shave off calories. Swap:…
The Week In TV: Emmy Nominations, Good and Bad
The Cup is over, the king has moved, and I replaced the C in “circle” with the Z from “zucchini.” This was the week in TV Land: • Nominations for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards were announced last week, and befitting an industry built on low standards and an organization…
True Blood: Massive Attack At A Strip Club!
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood – which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. Season 3, Episode 4: “9…
World Cup 2010: Spain Wins Ugly, But Wins
The Spaniards huffed and puffed; and they puffed, and puffed, and …Well it took 116 minutes of puffing, but Andres Iniesta scored the lone goal Sunday to give Spain their first FIFA World Cup title. And it came off a Dutch mistake in the backline, when they turned the ball…
Sean Berry Out, Jeff Bagwell In, Drayton McLane Still In Charge
How Sean Berry held on to his job as Astros hitting coach was something that I was wondering about several months ago. The Astros, after all, rank near the bottom in just about every major offensive category that there is in major league baseball.And in the four seasons that Berry…
Where Are We Eating?
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And at this restaurant, they do it up right with fresh tortillas, greasy chorizo and plenty of salsa (in case the coffee isn’t enough to wake you up). Does the meal below look familiar to you? Think you know where we’re…
Undisputed? Who Could Argue That This Sucks?
Every day Rocks Off trolls the tubes of you in search of videos deemed worthy to share. If you have something you think deserves to be video of the day, send a link to jef_rouner@yahoo.com. Those of you who have been kind enough to follow the video of the day…
Tekerrious Jackson, 6, Bayou Body Count No. 171
A little boy who apparently wouldn’t go to bed fast enough for his father is dead, and two people are in custody, Houston police say.Alex McGowan Duncan, 35, and his girlfriend Tammyra Sampson, 31, were arrested Sunday morning in connection with the death of Tkerrious, also known as TK, who…
DeBakey PTA Takes Over Uniform Sales; Students Cry Excuse Me But Foul!
DeBakey High School for Health Professions (aligned with the Baylor College of Medicine) is one of the city’s toughest schools to get into — a 2007 report said for every 1,200 applicants, 250 are accepted.Students there are hard-core dedicated in terms of studying, attendance and hard work. And they win…
Mel Gibson’s Rant: Five Celebrity Rants He’s Competing With
Mel Gibson’s lunatic rant has made it online, which means we can stack it up against other lunatic rants.1. Alec Baldwin. Things you don’t want to be caught shouting at your pre-teen daughter: “You’re a rude, thoughtless little pig” and “I don’t give a damn that you’re 11 years old…
Upcoming Events
Get your palates primed for the Texas Vodka Throwdown this Saturday night at Caroline Collective (4820 Caroline). The event, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., is absolutely free (as long as you’re over 21), but that’s not the best part: The best part is that the public will be…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we’re currently trying to engineer a type of sausage that looks like, tastes like, and has the consistency of soy. Ha ha, wouldn’t that be crazy? Nobody says anything when it works the other way around, though. You…
FAIL: “American Idols Live,” Montreal Jazz Festival, George Michael, Suge Knight
Jazz Festival Audience Somehow Unprepared to Enjoy Aimless, Self-Indulgent Noodling: Lou Reed, John Zorn, and Reed’s wife Laurie Anderson performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival recently, and treated the audience to improvisational jazz which the linked-to article above describes as “severely lacking direction,” a “nonsensical fumble,” and “sounded like the…
The Week In Photos
Our talented Flickr photographers took advantage of the few hours of sunshine we’ve had over the past week to capture some beautiful and bizarre shots around the city. Want to see your own work featured here? Then jump into the pool! As always, for more information about a subject or…
Brew Blog: Scottish Stout From Belhaven Brewery
Close followers of Brew Blog (thanks, both of you! No, no, kidding) will know that Scottish beers are never far from our hearts, nor are stouts of most kinds. So it was a cheap thrill for us to spot Belhaven Brewery’s “Scottish Stout” on the shelves at Central Market recently…
Willie Movie Postponed; Woven Bones Cancel; Paul Wall Hosts Party
Just a few late-breaking notes before Rocks Off gets the hell out of here… Austin lo-fi garage trio Woven Bones has canceled its show at Mango’s tonight. No reason was given; all the more reason to go see Lightning Bolt and Indian Jewelry at Khon’s. Aurora Picture Show’s screening of…
Top 5 BYOB Places In Houston
For me, BYOB means one thing and one thing only: Bring Your Own Beer. It has become a raging obsession of mine lately, to find the best places to get a top-flight meal where I can bring in my own American brewed, world-class brew and create my own pairings. Of…
The Top 10 Reasons We Love Ted Nugent
Sunday, Rocks Off is going to the Pasadena Fairgrounds to see Ted Nugent and the Charlie Lucas Band headline a charity event to raise money to secure homes for wounded military vets and their families. It’s for a great cause and benefits the Bay Area Home Builders Association’s “Operation Finally…
BARC Has A New Cat Building, And We Are Avoiding All Double-Entendres
Hey you — yeah, you: You know what you need in your life? A cat. Or a kitten. Or several of each. And you know the best way to procure one? By going to the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care’s grand opening for its new cat building Saturday, from…
This Day In Food History: Zachary Taylor, Cherries & Cream
Here’s a little cautionary tale next time you’re considering digging into some suspicious looking potato salad at an outdoor picnic. On July 4th, 1850 President Zachary Taylor attended a series of Independence Day celebrations in hot and humid Washington D.C. wearing a three-piece suit (shorts were then and are now…
The Social Reportedly Shut Down By Comptroller
Word was running rampant Thursday evening that owners of the Washington Avenue watering hole The Social had been locked out by the state comptroller’s office due to failure to pay back taxes. “Sources tell me the Comptroller was there yesterday to change the locks,” liquor distributor @myTXspirits posted on Twitter…
Our Eight Favorite Musical Moments From Texas-Shot Films
If Chainsaws, Slackers and Spy Kids sounds like a titillating title for a book, it’s only because the book itself deals with some of the most provocative indie films in recent cinematic history – many of them made by Texas-born filmmakers. The book is the work of Alison Macor, former…
Orlando Castano: New Bribery Bust In Bogus DPS License Scheme
There has been a new arrest in the Department of Public Safety bribery case. Last week administrative DPS clerk Gracie Gutierrez was arrested and charged with bribery for accepting cash for a fake license. Also busted was a man named Saul Ramirez, who was charged with paying the bribe and…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #8 In and Out Brisket at Thelma’s
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
The Social Reportedly Shut Down By Comptroller
Word was running rampant Thursday evening that owners of the Washington Avenue watering hole The Social had been locked out by the state comptroller’s office due to failure to pay back taxes. “Sources tell me the Comptroller was there yesterday to change the locks,” liquor distributor @myTXspirits posted on Twitter…
“Fashionable Felon”? You Call This Fashionable, FBI?
The FBI has put out an alert for someone it’s calling “The Fashionable Felon,” a woman who robbed a Wachovia Bank branch on the northwest side yesterday afternoon.We realize the FBI was not created to be an arbiter of fashion — although we have seen t-shirts declaring (presumed) agents to…
Still More HPMA Nominee MP3s
You didn’t think Rocks Off would let you escape into the weekend without some more HPMA nominee MP3s, now did you? We certainly hope not. We may be running out of ways to write the same headline, but we’re not running out of MP3s. Please send them to chris.gray@houstonpress.com. Also,…
Local Student Joshua Christie Is Le Cordon Bleu’s Future Chef Winner
They always start young. Joshua Christie says he remembers helping around the kitchen as a little kid, and that lifelong passion for cooking helped lead him to win the 9th Annual Le Cordon Bleu Future Chef of America Culinary Scholarship Competition on June 12th. Having attended Langham Creek High School…
Little Joe Washington Returns To The Stage Saturday At Continental
Just out of the hospital a few days, local bluesman Little Joe Washington will be back onstage Saturday at his old stomping grounds, the Continental, for the Main Street club’s free tenth anniversary celebration. After a successful intestinal surgery last month and a stint in a rehabilitation unit, Washington has…
Game Time: LeBron James: The Decision — You Suck, ESPN
“It’s been a real humbling experience to be in this position.” — LeBron James on his self-requested, one hour made-for-LeBron TV special on ESPNIf you lived in Houston at the time, you remember September 13, 2008. That was the morning after Hurricane Ike. I remember going outside for the first…
Health Department Roundup: “Hole In The Wall” Edition
One of the joys of trawling health inspection reports is dredging up interesting, peculiar, and sometimes downright puzzling restaurant names. Inspectors found a few extra of those this week, so we throw them out for your perusal, along with a few repeat offenders to be wary of. A change of…
Last Night: Mates Of State And Free Energy At Warehouse Live
Mates of State, Free Energy Warehouse Live July 8, 2010 There’s nothing like getting ripped from your lemon grass tofu because there’s a magician opening a Mates of State show. Aftermath was sitting down like a real, live human being eating dinner when Twitter lit up with people watching a…
The Corpse Flower Is Coming, In All Its Stinky Smelliness, Whether You Like It Or Not
The Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science has had a rare “corpse flower” for six years, but the thing has never bloomed.Thank God. Because when one of these things bloom, they stink to high heaven.But all that is going to change. The perfumed, fragrant air of Houston…
GOOOOOOOLLL!!!: 17 Sexy Soccer Album Covers
After tomorrow’s third-place match and Sunday’s final, Rocks Off will be sorry to see the World Cup go away for another four years. We’ve grown pretty fond of those vuvuzelas, and besides, there hasn’t been much else to cheer about sporting-wise around Houston for, like ever. See you at the…
$17 Express Lunch at Tony’s — Kind Of
Even after all these years, the venerable Tony’s is still one of Houston’s most mysterious restaurants. The place has been a knock-em-dead local legend catering to some of Houston’s most prominent residents since 1965. The common conception is that it’s an exclusive place, an elite eatery reserved for oil executives,…
Judge Kevin Fine Jumps On Ted Poe’s “Shame Sentencing” Bandwagon
Judge Kevin Fine, the former cocaine addict who startled the Texas judicial world by declaring the state’s death penalty unconstitutional, is turning now to more traditional Harris County judging — he’s using “shame-based” sentencing.Fine sentenced Eloise Guerrrero Mireles, 38, to 10 years probation for stealing more than $265,000 from the…
World Cup 2010: David Villa Goes For The Golden Boot
It’s been almost one month since South Africa and Mexico got the FIFA World Cup started in Soccer City. This Sunday – 63 games later – the Netherlands and Spain close up shop with what could be an instant classic.This will mark the first time that either one of these…
Colin Hay Is Still A Man At Work
Though best known as the frontman of iconic and infectious ’80s group Men at Work (“Who Can It Be Now?” “Down Under,” “Overkill,” “It’s a Mistake”), for over 20 years Colin Hay has forged a newer identity as a singer-songwriter to a growing fanbase less likely to yell out “Vegemite…
Top Five Greatest Last Meals
I generally subscribe to the philosophy that you should live every day like it’s your last, which is why I detest spending entire afternoons resolving byzantine licensing issues at the DMV and why I harbor no guilt about eating dessert every single night. If you have ever pondered your own…
Big Boi’s Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Best Rap Album Of The Year
Big Boi has never been a particularly imposing rapper. He just hasn’t been. Now wait a second, fuckers. Before you get all “No, he’s phenomenal!” just out of sheer contrarian instinct, think on it for a second. When have you ever heard his name mentioned in any Greatest Rapper Ever…
Mike Yeo: Aeros New Coach Looks Forward To Return To Houston
In response to their disappointing season, the Houston Aeros front office cleaned house, relieving head coach Kevin Constantine and his staff of their coaching duties.The new head coach was named last month, and to those of you who have been following the team since its reincarnation in 1994, the new…
Katy Perry’s “California Gurls,” As Done By Really Old Men
Rocks Off hates Katy Perry with the white-hot burning intensity of a thousand suns. Her songs sound like Pink with a lobotomy, and she looks like Zooey Deschanel playing a really low-cost prostitute. When the video for “California Gurls” came out, we saw something that we never thought we’d see…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro
We conclude our visit with Chef Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro with tastings of two of her dishes. First up are Chef Zelko’s fried green tomatoes. She batters thick slices of Texas green tomatoes in buttermilk, seasons them with Creole spices, and then fries them in a Captain Crunch and…
Sole of Houston: Bicycles Enable Lomax And Beebe To Cover 30-Plus Miles Of Hood
Man, there has been a lot of water under the bridge since David Beebe and I last undertook a Sole of Houston stroll in December of 2008.For my part, there was a divorce, massive weight loss, and the ditching of pretty much all my vices. As for Beebe, the super-picky…
LeBron James: Five Reasons Why He Did Not Choose Houston
Despite what we thought were pretty compelling arguments yesterday, LeBron James did not announce last night that he will become a Houston Rocket.We blame the Children’s Museum. And the Astros.Still, we’re not bitter; we’re analytical. And we have determined the five reason why LeBron chose not to come here…
Michael Berry’s “God Bless Arizona” Tour Mocks Texas Heroes
Michael Berry’s “God Bless Arizona” tour, a/k/a The Pale Riders, is back from the Arizona-supporting Fourth of July tour.About 200 KTRH listeners went to the state to “buycott” (i.e., spend money) in support of its new immigration law.Who knew that they would be savagely insulted by the very rightwing activists…
Free BBQ For Life If You Can Help Toni Rouse Find His Barbecue Pit
Toni Rouse is a soft-spoken man, a barbecue connoisseur with a heart of gold. Rouse, who runs Toni’s Cafe at 5270 Griggs Road, was — up until June 26 — the proud owner of a 16-foot, bright red and gold custom barbecue pit with a five-man crew that turned out…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro
We continue our visit with Chef Jamie Zelko by discussing the her bistro’s ambiance and some of her many hidden talents. EOW: So let’s talk about your restaurant. I see some aged wood and old photographs. Tell me about your inspiration for the ambiance. Zelko: Well the wood on the…
Steve Earle Emmy-Nominated For Treme Song
Steve Earle, one of Houston’s favorite musical sons, was nominated for an Emmy today for his song “This City,” featured in the recent season finale of the HBO series Treme. Earle, who recently touted Houston’s rich history and musical assets on an episode of NPR’s World Cafe, wrote “This City”…
Unidentified Male, Bayou Body County No. 170
A man was found dead of a gunshot would to the chest behind a shopping center on the far west side yesterday morning.Police were notified of the body and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. His identity has yet to be verified by the…
Nickelback Coming Back Again; All We Can Do Is Shrug
Rocks Off would like to think we’ve pretty much inoculated himself to “bad music” to the point where nothing fazes us anymore. We can roll into an Insane Clown Posse show, no problem. Kenny G? We’ll shake dude’s hand and talk shop with him. But Nickelback is a different story…
Recipe Review: Rachael Ray’s You Won’t Be Single for Long Vodka-Cream Sauce: Part 2
Yesterday I reviewed RR’s recipe for Vodka Cream Sauce. With a few easy additions, it turned out to be a deliciously simple sauce that is perfect for any weeknight dinner. Below is her recipe along with my suggestions for making it the Absolut best. That pun’s for you Rachael!…
Game Time: LeBron-athon — Five Backstabbings That Will Get You Ready For Tonight
In anticipation of LeBron James’ decision as to where he will ply his trade for the next few years, shares of MSG stock rose 6 percent yesterday for a period of time before settling back to where they were earlier in the day. The reason for the brief bump? The…
Odd Pair: Apple Blush & Ginger Snaps
I’m no wine snob (see yesterday’s wine of the week post), but even I have limits. I usually steer far, far away from wines made from anything other than grapes, because frankly, they scare me. The Apple Barn Winery Apple Blush gave cause for extra trepidation, not only because of…
The Search For 2010’s Top Summer Jam Stops Right Here
Since at least the late ’60s, summer songs have been a pop radio staple. No one did them better than Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, who issued waves of singles about catchin’ a wave, surfer girls, and little deuce coups that made those summer drives to the beach sizzle…
Odd Pair at Absolve: A Food and Wine Pairing Event Like You’ve Never Tasted Before
Are you a fan of our Odd Pair column? A fan of wine events where you can wear jeans and a concert T-shirt? A fan of chips and queso? Then do we have something in store for you… Eating Our Words is pleased to present Odd Pair at Absolve (920…
iPhone Gets Even Better: Now It Has A Houston Press App
Over 50 million iPhones have been sold since the release of Apple’s now-omnipresent smart phone in January 2007, and that doesn’t take into account the mad rush for the latest iPhone 4. So we’re willing to bet that more than a few of our readers have an iPhone of their…
I Would Tweet 4 U: What If Prince Were On Twitter?
Sadly, Prince will not be releasing his next album online, despite being one of the first artists to release music exclusively on the Internet. He recently pronounced the Internet as “over,” remarking, “All these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that…
Futbol Frenzy at Fajita Flats
We got caught up in the World Cup frenzy at Fajita Flats (2929 Fondren, 713-789-3338), drinking margaritas and Coronas, and eating fajitas. Every time a team scored a goal or came close to scoring, the entire restaurant erupted — entire tables of people jumping up and down, yelling and swinging…
Next Month’s Music Award Showcase Schedule
Here we go, y’all. Rocks Off is proud to present this year’s HPMA showcase lineup, featuring almost 50 2010 nominees, a few distinguished HPMA alumni and special guests Matt & Kim and Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights. We guess this means this thing is really happening. The showcase starts…
Jim Parsons Of Houston Nabs A Big Emmy Nomination
Jim Parsons, proud alumnus of Klein Oak High, UH and the Infernal Bridegroom Theater company, has nabbed an Emmy nomination.Parsons was nominated for playing Sheldon Cooper in CBS’ Big Bang Theory. According to the Hollywood Reporter, his reaction was pretty simple.”I’ll just say ‘Bazinga,'” he told them.He faces some pretty…
Food Fight: Smart Meals vs. My Fit Foods
Houston has spent decades and lifetimes earning its title as one of America’s fattest cities. Turns out, just like our mothers told us, all those loaded burritos, bacon double cheeseburgers, and sides of beef really do stick to our ribs. The title is a backhanded distinction, though — one we…
Your Band Would Be A Lot Cooler With A Pole Dancer
Back when Rocks Off was in high school, the ska movement was in full… swing. Every weekend somewhere in Houston would be at least one skank-worthy show. The best thing about ska music is that no band is complete without a guy whose job is just to lead the dancing…
Texas’ Top 10 Sex Offenders: New List Gets Quick Results
The Department of Public Safety has started a new “10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders” feature, and you’d have to say so far, so good.The list went online at 8:30 yesterday morning, DPS spokeswoman Tela Mange tells Hair Balls; by 10 a.m. they’d received a tip and by 4:30 p.m. one…
Top Five Under-Appreciated Candy Bars
This post is a not-so-solemn plea for those candy bars that — most of the time — sit woefully ignored on drugstore racks across the country. I enjoy Snickers, Kit Kats, and Three Musketeers as much as the next sugar freak, but their combined monopoly on the American candy market…
Astros’ Bud Norris Finds His Car On The Warning Track
Astro pitcher Bud Norris got a surprise when he came out for batting practice yesterday, as Allison Footer reports. His car — his relatively ancient car — was on the warning track, with shaving cream on it that advertised it for sale, cheap…
Berryhill vs El Rey: Battle for the Best Shrimp Tempura Taco
Call me a late bloomer, but I didn’t discover the Shrimp Tempura Taco until a year or so ago. Now I am in love with them. Though I know grilled shrimp is way healthier, blah blah blah, I wholeheartedly prefer the crunchiness of the tempura battered shrimp with the freshness…
A Royal ABBA Salute And Other Scandinavian Musical Delights
Välkommen from Scandinavia! More specifically, Gothenburg, Sweden, the country’s “second city” and home to some of Rocks Off’s favorite bands from recent years, including El Perro Del Mar, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and The Knife. This is our second trip in the last year to Gothenburg (Göteborg, if you’re…
Ex-DJ Brandi Garcia Happy To Move On Beyond The Box
When Rocks Off got DJ Brandi Garcia on the phone a couple of weeks removed from her controversial dismissal from 97.9 The Box for playing a Trae track at an unrelated concert, we were anticipating her to call us from a frigid office full of books with legal jargon in…
Ed Wade: This Team Is Yours (Unfortunately)
I know that Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade has some defenders in the city. They say we can’t judge Wade, supposedly, because he’s hamstrung by contracts that were given out before he arrived. We can’t judge Wade because, supposedly, he’s still putting his blueprint on this club. We can’t…
Pop Rocks: Mel Gibson Was Framed
Who will speak for the Road Warrior? I know you’ve all heard the…allegations by now: Mel Gibson knocked out a few of his girlfriend’s teeth; Mel Gibson threatened to set fire to her house (but not before securing some…oral satisfaction first), Mel Gibson is a virulent racist: “If you get…
Remember Pharoah’s Six Foot Giant?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Pharoah Six Foot Giant (Beat Box Records, 1997) Pharaoh is/was the intense-eyed, angry, middle-of-the-road-voiced MC that gave Houston’s famed…
A Soul-Warming Meal at Seoul House
“What’s your favorite thing here?” I asked the young, blithesome girl who was waiting on us at Seoul House. Without hestitation, she quickly pointed to a ruddy-colored picture of haemul dolsot on the small menu. “This is the best. It’s the only thing I eat here,” she said with a…
LeBron James: Five Reasons Why He Will Announce Tonight He’s A Houston Rocket
As our Game Time blogger Sean Pendergast has ably analyzed, tonight is the big night for LeBron James. Tonight — on a primetime special devoted solely to the specialness of him and the sheer giganticnessof his decision — he will announce which NBA team he will allow to pay him…
Hey, Great News!! HPD Has A Whole New Ticket “Crackdown” Coming!!
We’ve all thoroughly enjoyed the DWI “No Refusal” weekends, the “Click It or Ticket” campaigns, the child-seat inspections that law-enforcement agencies have been rolling out with regularity lately.Get ready for a new one: the “Move Over or Slow Down” ticket blitz by Houston police.HPD has announced that they’re setting aside…
Houston Symphony Dollar Concert 2010
If you’ve been bemoaning the high ticket prices for concerts and theater, here’s a deal you can’t pass up: the Houston Symphony Dollar Concert 2010. For less than the cost of a cup of cappuccino or a ride on Metro, you’ll enjoy a program of selected music by Brahms, Copland…
The Secret of the Kells
Ancient mythology, magic, fantasy, marauding barbarians, a wolf-girl and a boy who must overcome his fears all come together in the children’s animated film The Secret of the Kells. Put together by the people behind the whimsical Triplets of Belleville, the Oscar-nominated The Secret of the Kells is the story…
“The Big Show 2010”
The Lawndale Art Center has been spearheading the local art movement for a quarter-century now, and “The Big Show 2010” is one of its most anticipated exhibits of the season. This year, 396 artists applied for the juried competition, submitting 976 works of art. The works have never been displayed…
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
Dame Agatha Christie’s stage play The Mousetrap has kept audiences asking “whodunit?” for more than 50 years. The play’s longevity is largely attributed to Christie’s finely drawn characters and carefully crafted plot, not to mention a twist ending done in classic Christie style. Presented as part of the Alley Theatre’s…
Haynesville: A Nation’s Hunt for Energy
The BP oil spill has us all thinking about how much environmental devastation and social upheaval we’re willing to risk for inexpensive energy. A few years ago, the 2,700 residents of Haynesville, Louisiana, had to ask themselves the same question. The largest natural gas shale in the United States -…
Little Shop of Horrors
Ah, what we do for love. In the musical Little Shop of Horrors, lowly flower-shop assistant Seymour (played by Mark Ivy) is willing to do quite a bit for love, even if it means feeding fresh blood to a strange carnivorous plant. Seymour, a rather plain sad sack, is in…
Beauty & the Beast
A prince that’s been magically transformed into an animal must earn the love and respect of a beautiful young woman in order to break the spell in the children’s play Beauty & the Beast. But can she overcome her fear and repulsion in time to save the prince or will…
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is in town with its current touring effort, Zing Zang Zoom. Perhaps taking a cue from the more narrative-reliant Cirque du Soleil, this show has a fantasy-themed storyline in which the Zing master Alex and his assistant Levitytia battle against Mr. Gravity…
Bat Boy, The Musical
Based on a tabloid report that a half-boy/half-bat was found in a remote cave in 1992, the comedy Bat Boy, The Musical is best described as Doctor Moreau-meets-Medea, punctuated by moments of hilarity and accompanied by an ’80s glam soundtrack. Finding black, black humor in the absurdity of the situation,…
What’s a Little Marriage Fraud Between Amigos?
The names of the couples in this story have been changed to protect their identities. If Juan and Juana were going to stage a fake marriage to help Juan get his green card, the two of them figured, they might as well treat some friends to a great meal. They…
“Craig W. Jensen: Master of Fine Edition Binding”
While the growing popularity of e-books seems to threaten the future of physical books, the Museum of Printing History reminds us why the bound books will never be forgotten with the exhibit “Craig W. Jensen: Master of Fine Edition Binding,” a retrospective of the Texas artisan’s beautifully crafted, handmade books…
Sally Goodroe: Urban Legends
It’s doubtful that storyteller Sally Goodroe will delve into any truly terrifying tales today during her presentation, Urban Legends. So while the kids will miss out on the story of Bloody Mary and giant, man-eating alligators that nest in sewers, they will learn how urban legends get started (with a…
La Bohéme
The Metropolitan Opera’s live production of La Bohéme has drawn raves from attendees – as well as hundreds of dollars per seat. Thankfully, for those of us less financially endowed (and further than a subway’s ride away from the NYC concert hall), the Met is screening an HD recording of…
ArtHouston 2010
A stroll through the steamy streets of Houston in mid-July is definitely made more attractive with the promise of 30 local art galleries offering refreshments, tons of fine art and air conditioning. ArtHouston 2010, organized by the Houston Art Dealers Association, will include galleries throughout the Museum District and the…
Galveston ArtWalk 2010
Damaged headquarters be damned, the Galveston Arts Center is putting on Galveston ArtWalk 2010, marking 20 years of walks (falling plaster and unsteady foundations aren’t enough to deter the GAC staff and volunteers). Catch “Loretta Trevino: Shifting Light” at Wagner Sousa Modern Art, “Summer Group Show” at Buchanan Gallery and…
Hello Dolly
Move over, www.getmeahusbandquick.com, Dolly Gallagher Levi is coming to town. She might be old-school, but no matchmaker has been more successful than the bold, brassy blond who flaunts her talents in Jerry Herman’s famous Tony Award-winning Broadway blockbuster Hello, Dolly! The turn-of-the-century love story follows the larger-than-life Dolly, a matchmaker…
“Michael Miller: Today I Am Thankful for All I Have”
Mixed-media artist Michael Miller will install more than 50 works in Moody Gallery, incorporating the entire space from wall to wall and ceiling to floor. The exhibition, “Michael Miller: Today I Am Thankful for All I Have,” is, according to press notes, “a commentary on our consumer- and media-driven society.”…
“Salon des Refusés”
“The Big Show 2010” at the Lawndale Art Center gets bigger and bigger every year; unfortunately that’s not the case with the center’s gallery space. Trying to squeeze more art into the same size gallery means lots of quality work gets left out. Now there’s a place for all those…
Christopher Titus
Comedian Christopher Titus is popular for his own brand of harsh, self-deprecating comedy that centers on his family life and relatives, including his cruelly distant father and crazy mother (“crazy” isn’t euphuism here, his mom was certifiable). This style of comedy led to his own television show Titus, which aired…
Bare Bones
Austin’s Woven Bones is serious about rock and roll, and makes no bones about its love affair with the more primitive aspects of drums, bass and guitar. Taking cues from the lo-fi aesthetic of the garage underground and post-punk pantheon, Woven Bones runs its cacophonous brand of minimalist hip-shake through…
Ted Nugent
Aside from all the liberal-baiting and right-wing talk, Ted Nugent is one of the unsung masters of raunchy riff-rock. Take away all the pop-culture controversy of the past 20 years and what’s left is a solid catalog of he-man jams the likes of which will never be seen again in…
Capsule Stage Reviews: The Glass Menagerie, Hunter Gatherers
The Glass Menagerie is arguably Tennessee Williams’s greatest achievement. As fine as the exquisite glass ornaments one of its characters collects, the heartbreaking memory play focuses on one of American literature’s most beautifully dysfunctional families, the Wingfields. It’s a lovely choice for the inaugural production of The Landing Theatre Company,…
Nekromantix
Melding the skronk of the Cramps with the grim stylings of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Denmark’s Nekromantix have been swaying suggestible American kids into the dark and decadent waters of psychobilly since 2002 debut Night of the Loving Dead on Hellcat Records. Prior to that, the band had…
Silly Me
As the lights were dimming before a preview screening of Despicable Me, the six-year-old who lives in my house leaned over and said, “I hope this is funny — not like Toy Story 3.” Now don’t misunderstand: He adored that movie. It’s just that whenever the subject comes up, the first…
Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge’s Luxetini
Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge (1201 San Jacinto, 713-343-3300) is the kind of place where Zac Efron and John Mayer bowl. At least the Lucky Strike in Los Angeles is, according to the framed PR rags mounted over the urinals at the Houston location. So you might not run into…
Momma’s Boys
In Cyrus, a freakishly engrossing black comedy about excessively mothered men and the women who enable them, the excellent John C. Reilly plays John, a middle-aged editor who lives like a stalled graduate student in his cluttered Los Angeles cottage. That’s where his former wife and close friend Jamie (Catherine…
Korma Sutra
Simran Patel is owner and executive chef of Korma Sutra (706 Main, 713-229-8200). “It’s obviously a play on words,” she explains. “The Kama Sutra is known as the Art of Making Love, and our tag line is, ‘Have a passionate love affair with fine Indian cuisine.’ Korma is an Indian…
Captured in Afghanistan
In the summer of 2007, two Western journalists dug in with a platoon of American soldiers on a 15-month deployment in the Korengal Valley, a strategic outpost near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. The mountainous region was infested with Taliban fighters and possibly was also used by Al Qaeda leaders as…
Monnalisa Smile
CityCentre is 37 acres of “mixed-use urban development” where Town and Country Mall used to be. Essentially, it’s a tiny city within the suburban sprawl of far West Houston. It has its own narrow roads and street signs and features dining, residences, business offices, shopping and more. For nightlife, the…
Ripped Off by the Best
Whatever Ripped Off by the Best Famous plagiarizer strikes close to home By Craig Malisow When investigative reporter and Case Closed author Gerald Posner was busted for plagiarism by our sister publication, Miami New Times (among others), it was a big disappointment. It’s the kind of thing that, at least…
Mates of State, Free Energy
Though only achieving national prominence in the past few years, Mates of State’s Kori Gardner (who plays a variety of whirling keys and synthesizers, from B-3 organs to Casios) and Jason Hammel (who drums and handles various percussion instruments) have actually been making music together since 1997. Over the past…
Girls, Birth Rights and More Girls!
Dear Mexican, I’m a (poor) white girl myself, but I have to ask: What’s the deal with all the rich white girls playing such a big role in Fiesta? Why is it always rich white girls that get crowned? Don’t you think the majority of them should be Mexican girls…
Lightning Bolt
At first it might seem a strange statement to make about a band as loud and abrasive as Lightning Bolt, but listening to this enigmatic Rhode Island-spawned duo is a very Zen experience. The hypnotic, largely abstract nature of their work forces the listener to experience the whole of the…
Getting Played
Getting Played Online readers respond to “Out of The Box,” by Shea Serrano, June 24: The Box are some dumb-asses: This man has done nothing but good for the city of Houston, and for the station to do him like that is not only a slap in his face but also…
Mike Stinson, Robert Ellis
KPFT’s Lone Star Jukebox host Rick Heysquierdo has reached over to Austin for the past two installments of his monthly “Troubador Tuesday” series, but he’s not dialing long-distance this time. After veteran Damon Bramblett and the brand-new Stone River Boys (and a month off), headlining this month is L.A. transplant…
Lawn Mower Man
For Kenneth Page, all that he had built his dreams around vanished in a cloud of Central Texas dust on that terrible day this past March. That was the day his wife, Ardes, loaded up his beloved dog in the truck Kenneth bought her as a wedding present and drove…
Simple Plan
On a recent lunch visit to the less-than-a-year-old Haven, I found myself delighted by the old-school country and folk music that looped through the light-flooded dining room: Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash. The soundtrack cut what could have easily been an uptight, ladies-who-lunch, Upper Kirby pretension. “Who should I…
Unexpected Treat
You wouldn’t normally expect to find blueberry croissant bread pudding ($6) on the menu of a Chinese restaurant, let alone such an excellent example of one. But then, Café Chino (3285 Southwest Fwy., 713-524-4433) is no ordinary Chinese restaurant. Even though this location is new, May and Eddie Chan have…
Ten Years After
Continental Club Ten-Year Anniversary With Picture Book and Disco Expressions, 7 p.m. Friday, July 9; and Honky, New Duncan Imperials, Allen Oldies Band, the Suspects, the Umbrella Man, Little Joe Washington and Chango Man, 5 p.m. Saturday, July 10, at the Continental Club, 3700 Main, 713-529-9899 or www.continentalclub.com/Houston.html. Free. Houston…
Pile of Paper
Paper is fragile and disposable. It is the stuff of napkins, newspapers, grocery sacks, magazines and paperbacks. Making clothes out of it is the definition of counterintuitive, but paper clothes were big for a brief period of the mid-1960s. Considered avant-garde and futuristically practical, paper wear was the subject of…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Hand+Made: The Performative Impulse in Art and Craft”, “Maurizio Cattelan”, “Neopopstreetfunk II”, “Steve Wolfe on Paper”
“Hand+Made: The Performative Impulse in Art and Craft” This exhibit examines and emphasizes the integration of performance in contemporary art and craft. But don’t expect to walk into the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and watch a show. While performances and events have been scheduled as part of the ongoing exhibition,…
White Widow
According to Google, White Widow is a Cannabis Cup-winning, especially potent strain of marijuana and a movie starring Benicio del Toro, scheduled for release next year, with the following synopsis: “Looking for romance, but attracted to the wrong men, a young woman finds herself with a cache of stolen diamonds…
