Summer Sports Slam
Staying physically active in the summer can be unbearable in Houston; running around or chasing a ball is difficult when it’s 101 degrees, windless and people are beginning to sweat in places they didn’t even know they were able to. Space Center Houston is taking some — but not all…
“Mari Omori”
Mari Omori draws from her Japanese heritage to make her art. She transforms unconventional materials like salt blocks, bars of soap, tea and the homemade Japanese paper called washi into compositions. For her most recent exhibition, in the Rebecca Cole Gallery at the Pearl Fincher Museum, “Mari Omori,” she has…
Comment of the Day
Today Katharine Shilcutt wrote about Dr Pepper sort of suing itself – that is, parent company Dr Pepper Snapple suing the Dublin Dr Pepper plant for allegedly violating the terms of its franchise agreement. Which led commenter Stuart Reb Donald to present his theory about what’s going on: I think…
Tickets Go On Sale Thursday for Helmut Newton at the MFAH
Starting tomorrow, Houstonians will have a chance to be among the first to see the first large-scale exhibition of work by iconic fashion photographer Helmut Newton. That’s because tickets for “Helmut Newton: White Women • Sleepless Nights • Big Nudes,” which will display the entire contents of Newton’s first three…
Liberty County Prosecutor Joe Warren Charged with Threatening Family over Pit Bull
A veteran Liberty County prosecutor has been charged with deadly conduct and making a terroristic threat for reportedly pulling a gun on a family whose pit bull had killed his dog. Joe Warren, who had been one of the attorneys handling the Cleveland gang-rape case, was arraigned and freed on…
Screwed Up Records & Tapes Facing Eviction
The days of Screwed Up Records & Tapes may be numbered. Just two days after Houston’s hip-hop community marked the anniversary of DJ Screw’s wildly cherished “June 27 Freestyle,” Rocks Off has now learned that the iconic Southside record store has been facing eviction for some time now. If the…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 84, Buttermilk-Fried Pork Loin with Fried Eggs at Canopy
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Underage Sex Trafficking: Real Men Get Their Facts Straight
It’s called “moral panic,” and it’s the kind of urban legend people like Ashton Kutcher cite when he told Piers Morgan two months ago in an nterview that 100,000 to 300,000 kids are forced into underage sex trafficking every year in America. In March, Village Voice Media revealed the junk…
Fat Tony’s 10 Favorite Food Songs
You can work up quite an appetite pointing, clicking and surfing all day long. Earlier this afternoon, online of course, the Houston Press revealed the winners of our very first ever Houston Web Awards. The awards will be handed out in the flesh tomorrow night at Momentum Audi on Richmond,…
Fat Tony’s 10 Favorite Food Songs
Earlier this afternoon, online of course, the Houston Press revealed the winners of our very first ever Houston Web Awards. The awards will be handed out in the flesh tomorrow night at Momentum Audi on Richmond, because it’s still very hard to email someone a trophy. The awards start at…
Houston Center for Photography Announces Artists for Juried Exhibition
The Houston Center for Photography, which hosts artists both local and international, has chosen its participating artists for this year’s juried membership exhibition. Thirty artists from across the country were selected from 200 entries. Houston’s very own Joel Hernandez, Chuck Ivy, Rosine Kouamen, and Christopher Olivier are among the artists…
Obama Beating Perry in Texas Match-Up, But Not Michelle Bachmann
Gov. Perry’s Invitation to The Response from The Response USA on Vimeo.Rick Perry, the man who just might turn out to be the awesomest president ever if we can just convince him to run, would not win his home state against Barack Obama, a new poll shows. The survey by…
Five Foods I Would Take To A Desert Island
I have only seen one episode of Survivor. But I have read a host of 18th-century shipwreck narratives that are just as compelling! (Um, no.) Both make me wonder which food and drink I would want with me if I were stranded on a desert island. Here are five foods…
Carry That Weight: The Best Bands Pegged As The “Next Beatles”
How much pressure must it be to have someone, probably some flacky music journalist running out of metaphors and superlatives, call your band the “Next Beatles” just as you start your rock career? That’s like being called the next Jesus Christ, the next Michael Jordan (right, LeBron?), or the next…
Run for Your Lives: Five Questions to Ask When You Are Considering Evacuating for a Hurricane
It’s almost July and we have our first Atlantic storm of the season in Tropical Storm Arlene. Fortunately, it doesn’t appear that Arlene will grow larger than a minimal hurricane, if that, before it makes landfall along the Mexican gulf coast. Unfortunately, it won’t come close enough to us to help…
Breakfast: Olive Egg Sandwich at Salento Wine Cafe
When I am in the Rice Village area Salento Wine Cafe is my destination of choice for a quiet place to study or read, with free wi-fi and strong coffee. In the evening it becomes a cool, laid-back lounge for a glass of wine, good conversation and live music. And…
Damfoolz Select The Six Best DJ Screw Songs Of All Time
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place – lots of times, you’re even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good – so once a week we’re going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Something you always wanted to…
That’s Silly: Graham Chapman’s Finest Monty Python Moments
When we first got word of an animated movie based on the life (or something like it) of Monty Python’s Flying Circus cast member Graham Chapman, we were a little freaked out. The venture, based on the deceased Chapman’s own hyperbolic A Liar’s Autobiography: Volume VI, is an animated feature,…
Cover Story: And The Houston Web Award Winners Are…
Houston’s web world has become a vital, entertaining, informative place in only a few years. We’ve decided to celebrate the fact with the Houston Press Web Awards, to be given in a ceremony tomorrow night (see link for ticket info). But you don’t have to wait until tomorrow to see…
HISD Touts Results on Two National Exams
The Houston school district says its students have made impressive gains in the latest round of Stanford and Aprenda tests, which measure students nationwide. “HISD students posted especially strong gains in math and science during the recently completed 2010-2011 school year. The number of students scoring above the national average…
Touch of Grey News: Greatfull Taco Loses Its Chef
The Grateful Dead once said that “the first days are the hardest days,” and owner Paul West is finding that out firsthand at his new restaurant, Greatfull Taco (named for, yes, the Dead). Chef Riccardo Palazzo-Giorgio has left the restaurant after only a few months, citing “irreconcilable differences” with West…
Last Night: Peter Case At McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Peter Case McGonigel’s Mucky Duck June 28, 2011 Surviving 40 years of rock and roll is not nearly the same as embodying it, preserving artful, poetic, and transcendent song forms that persevere as the world unveils socio-political and cultural shifts, religious upheavals, ever more demanding business models, and a mutated…
Liz Alexander Visual Art Grant Doubles in Monetary Size
Attention, Houston artists: Don’t leave the (now) two grand on the table. Houston Arts Alliance recently announced that its Liz Alexander Visual Art Award has swelled, thanks to private contributions, from $1,000 to $2,000. The one-time grant is named after the late Alexander, who passed away on April 23, 2010…
Southwest’s Pilot Apologizes For Misogynist, Anti-Gay Rant
KPRC, which first broke the story, has an update: The pilot caught on an open cockpit microphone denigrating gays and flight attendants has sent out a company-wide apology letter. Captain James Taylor said he “deeply regret[s]” the remarks. “Please know that this event has forever changed me and I hope…
State Senator Mario Gallegos Says HISD’s Apollo 20 Contracts May Be Unethical
State Senator Mario Gallegos, a persistent critic of Houston school superintendent Terry Grier’s Apollo 20 pilot program, has asked the Texas Education Agency to audit the contracts involved in it. He says there are ethical questions involving HISD, the HISD Foundation (which he says is involved in fund-raising and contracting…
Top 6 Ways To Piss Off A Musician At A Gig
Rocks Off first stumbled onto Scott H. Biram about 10 years ago at the Parlor, Austin’s recently closed, extremely cramped “punk rock pizza” joint on North Loop, where patrons scarfed their pies while murals of Iggy Pop, The Clash and the Ramones looked on from the red walls. The “Dirty…
Dr Pepper Sues Itself, Sort Of
In the long history of entities suing themselves — Wells Fargo in 2009, the government of Thailand in 2006 — none have been as disheartening to Texans as the latest news that Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS), the parent company that owns beverage brands such as Dr Pepper and Snapple, among…
Art Review: “The Clearing-Joey Fauerso”
For “The Clearing,” Joey Fauerso takes found, generic landscape scenes and inhabits them with photos of naked men. In one, a bearded, generally hairy man is leaping off a river rock while a majestic waterfall cascades in the background. In another, the same man (I think) stands watching at the…
Tambreshia Laqua Jackson: HPD Let Alleged Teen Mom-Killer Have Her Baby Before Arresting Her
Sixteen-year-old Tambreshia Laqua Jackson shot her mother to death in 2009, but by the time police figured out she’d done it, she was eight months pregnant. “It was agreed by HPD, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and Jackson that she would turn herself in to police after the baby…
Glenbrook Valley, Our Recent Cover-Story Subject, Becomes a Historic District
Just before 10 a.m. today, Houston City Council approved the historic district applications for Glenbrook Valley, Woodland Heights and Heights South. The mid-century modern neighborhood Glenbrook Valley, at the center of a contentious debate and the subject of the Press’ June 23 cover story, is now Texas’ first post-World War…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Anthony Davis of Reggae Hut
Reggae Hut, the colorful joint on Almeda Road in the Third Ward, serves up delicious Caribbean fare. Customers gobble up oxtails to the sounds of Bob Marley, his lyrics painted elegantly across the walls. Anthony “Tony” Davis is the man behind the meat, and he sat down with us to…
Last Night: Trae Tha Truth At House Of Blues
See Pimp C’s mom, Lupe Fiasco and more take the stage with Trae Tha Truth in our slideshow. Trae Tha Truth Street King CD release feat. Jadakiss, Waka Flocka, Yung Joc, Yung Quis, Lupe Fiasco & Pimp C’s mom House of Blues June 28, 2011 10:16 p.m.: So here we…
Aliens Invade Houston: Our Favorite Alien Movies
This Thursday, Movies at Miller, Miller Outdoor Theatre’s summer free movie fest will screen one of the greatest alien movies of all time, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial. As many times as we’ve seen E.T., we can’t help turning on the waterworks when E.T. and Elliott say their goodbyes (spoiler alert?)…
Luis Salinas-Segovia, 35, Bayou Body Count No. 93
A man was shot to death behind a southeast side convenience store Monday night, and police say they are looking for a “person of interest” to talk to them about the case. Two men bought beer at a convenience store in the 8300 block of Park Place Boulevard about 8:30…
Burger Revolution at Central Market
Are you guilty of creating boring burgers with uninspired toppings? Central Market is here to rescue you. Now through July 5, the store is featuring burgers and their sidekicks throughout the store. David Kiser, Head of Central Market’s Cooking School, said the burgers and displays are designed to encourage people…
Winning Combination: Kung Fu and Noodles
When you think about Jenni’s Noodle House you probably think about their sumptuous Sexy Salad or their delicious Disco Dumplings, and right now maybe you are thinking that this blog post escaped from Eating Our Words. However, for the past few months, Jenni’s has taken a seat at the culture…
Reef’s Smoked Pork Chop
Recently, I ordered the smoked pork chop at Reef, an upscale seafood restaurant headed by famed Houston chef Bryan Caswell. Back in May, this pork chop was featured on The Food Network’s program “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” and was recommended by chef Marc Forgione, Bryan Caswell’s co-star on…
Singer’s Health Scare Prods Horseshoe Reunion
With a band reunion facing him in a little less than three weeks, Greg Wood is just happy to be here. “Man, I had that heart attack when I was 35 and I never figured I’d ever see 47, but here I sit,” he gestures expansively around the twilight Sunday…
Comment of the Day: Anti-Gay Tweets Are Important
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
The Voice: Final Four Performances
When I check my DVR during the opening hour of The Voice and realize that with just four performers left the show is still two full hours long, I’m a bit dismayed. I have a job, NBC! And a dog that needs walking and a bathtub that does not scrub…
25 Positive Statements About the Houston Astros
I’m positive that the Astros would have been better off with these three guys in charge.As hard as it might be to believe, there are some people, friends even, who think I’m being too negative toward the Astros. They’d like for me to say something positive, something that might, hopefully,…
Loch Ness Radio: The Wind Cries Nessie
It’s a well-known fact that band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we’re trying to find meaning in the oddest monikers. Well friends and enemies, your faithful name-gamer is back after spending some time locked in a windowless room being questioned by three guys with Swiss Army…
10 Sexy Pulp Magazine Covers; 10 Very Boring Headlines
If you go looking for vintage pulp magazine covers, it’s easy to end up thinking your father’s or grandfather’s generation was an S&M-obsessed orgy of kink. Either men are tied up or being dominated by women in the illustrations, or vice versa. “Orgy of Kink!!!!!” would probably be a good…
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. Weapons Grade: I inadvertently started a Twitter “war” (side note: really?) Monday…
Best Apps for Cheating on Your Spouse, or Finding a Cheater: Apps of the Week
As long as there have been relationships, there has been infidelity. There are even times in our collective history when taking a mistress was commonplace. In the last 100 years, however, the notion of love and marriage and its role in the long-term stability of a family has become a…
Cruel Summer — Andre Jones (1969-2011)
In a recent blog post about Major League Baseball realignment, I expressed the following sentiment: The best memories for most sports fans are the ones that took place from their mid-teenage years through their late 20s. Generally, for most of us it was the time in our lives when we…
Comment of the Day
Today Katharine Shilcutt wrote about an unusual new microbrewery coming to town. While all the commenters were excited about the arrival of Buffalo Bayou Brewing, Jeff R had his doubts about it being a money-maker: Sounds like a fun idea for a brewery but a terrible plan for a business…
Comment of the Day: Analog vs. Digital
Today’s installment of 100 Creatives profiled Galina Kurlat, a photographer who uses long, aged processes to develop her photos, giving them a haunting, nostalgic look. In an age of immediacy, Kurlat’s work relies on involved processes (some dating back to th 19th century) that would drive most early-adopters crazy. But…
Houston’s Same-Sex Couples More Likely to Raise Children
The Atlantic’s blog has crunched some numbers from a recent gay survey and census data, and it’s found that when it comes to raising kids, Houston’s same-sex couples are near the tops in the nation. The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown area had the seventh-highest percentage of same-sex couples currently raising kids under…
Who Are You? Songs Commonly Attributed To The Wrong Artists
Last week, after the tragic, alcohol-fueled passing of Jackass hero Ryan Dunn, Rocks Off at Taco Cabana wearing a promotional shirt for The Hangover II that we stole borrowed from the office here at the Press. As we were loading our hands with condiment containers, a guy came up to…
Mike Hamby: HPD Fires Veteran Cop Who Threw Tear Gas in Rodeo BBQ Dispute
Michael Hamby takes his barbecuin’ seriously, especially when it’s at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. This year he took things a little too seriously, and when a rival barbecue team got into a dispute with him, he tossed a tear-gas cannister into their tent, according to reports at the…
MFAH Acquires Domingo García’s Adiós Mahatma
The Museum of Fine Arts recently acquired Adios, Mahatma, a 1988 portrait of Mahatma Gandhi painted by influential Puerto Rican artist Domingo García (Domingo), founder of the Galería Campeche in San Juan. The portrait is a gift to the museum by the Houston-based law firm Zimmerman, Axelrad, Meyer, Stern &…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 85, Falafel at Zabak’s
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Changing Stations: KGOW’s Creative Team Packs Up, Pendergast Goes National
If you have listened at all to KGOW 1560 the Game over the last month or two, you may have noticed some changes taking place that represent a distinct shift in the overall vibe of the station. Gone are the oddball promos and borderline inappropriate interludes (what some might argue…
Be A Smarty: Birthday Boy Mel Brooks’ Best Musical Numbers
Mel Brooks, “The Hitler Rap” “I cut my finger. That’s tragedy. A man walks into an open sewer and dies. That’s comedy.” Such is the philosophy of comedy icon Mel Brooks, who made a career out of making light of the heaviest of subject matter, including racism, the Spanish Inquisition…
From the Runway: Our 5 Favorite 2012 Resort Collections
I love resort collections because they are usually a little less esoteric and a little more practical, featuring simpler lines and lighter, more wearable fabrics. Unlike haute couture collections, the resort wear pieces are easier to translate into an everyday wardrobe. The 2012 collections have gone down the runway and…
Patti LaBelle Fires Back: Cadet Was Drunk, Racist and Sexist, She Says
Patti LaBelle, who has been maintaining silence ever since a West Point cadet sued her and her entourage for beating him up at Bush Intercontinental Airport, has finally said something. Well, her lawyer has. And it came in the form of a countersuit filed in federal court here that claims…
Burgers on The Hill
Bellville is roughly about 60 miles from the Westchase area, an hour day trip worth every minute. As with most little towns, it is quaint and quiet, moving at a pace unfamiliar to us city slickers. There’s a town square, an original unlike the replicas we’re seeing all over Houston…
Ingredient of the Week: Roma Tomatoes
What is it? Also called the Italian tomato, the Roma tomato is a common type of plum tomato: egg-shaped, with fewer seeds than the round tomato. (All Romas are plum tomatoes–also called paste tomatoes — but not all plum tomatoes are Romas.) Summer is the Roma’s peak season, but they’re…
Last Night: Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt At The Grand
Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt The Grand 1894 Opera House, Galveston June 27, 2011 Coming soon to an Improv near you: The comedic stylings of Lyle & Hiatt! Almost sounds like one of those old-time yukster duos, doesn’t it? It certainly played out like that Monday night in The Island’s…
Looking Back: Main Street in the 20th Century
Last week, a friend of mine from New York once commented that Houston, with its magnificent sprawl, was “one giant suburb.” Though it blew her mind, those of us that grew up here are used to a decentralized city plan and the idea of a central downtown area is pretty…
Tuesday June 21, 2011 Deals of the Day
Today’s VOICE Daily Deal from the Houston Press saves you a whopping 62 percent off of Indian cuisine($25 for $65) at Korma Sutra. Authentic North Indian food includes traditional favorites like tandoori salmon, saag paneer, and chicken tikka masala. Carnivores and herbivores alike will have plenty to choose from here…
Parents Arrange Catfight Between Warring Teen Daughters, Dust-Up Is Uploaded to YouTube
Imagine you are the parent of a teenage daughter and she is squabbling with a classmate. How do you resolve it? Do you get together with the other girl and her parents and have the young women talk it out? If that’s your course of action, you are not cut…
Out Today: Beyonce’s 4 Is Square, Limp Bizkit Chokes The Cobra
This week in new releases sees is one of the most varied in months, with new discs by Beyonce, Limp Bizkit, Dolly Parton, and Thievery Corporation hitting shelves and digital outlets today. By far though, the sexiest album cover is the Beyonce art for 4, and the most WTF one,…
This Dud’s For You: Houston Welcomes a New Microbrewery Like Nothing You’ve Ever Seen Before
At the end of its first year in the beer business, Rassul Zarinfar hopes that his new brewery — Buffalo Bayou Brewing — will have released at least one huge dud. “Hopefully, we will have brewed a beer that was completely unexpected,” Zarinfar said over the phone on Monday afternoon,…
James John Onak, Driver: What Dead Guy in My Front Passenger Seat, Officer?
When a cop pulls you over because your windshield is shattered, your front end is crumpled and — as he points out to you — you seem to have a dead person sitting next to you in the front seat, what are your options? a) Ask “What seems to be…
Never Bring Oatmeal to a Gunfight, Man Learns
It’s Go Time. You and some other dude have been driving side by side, cursing the other, and now you’ve pulled over to settle things. Other dude gets out with a gun. You reach for…a bowl of oatmeal? Consider yourself outclassed, son. The epic oatmeal vs. pistol showdown happened on…
MFAH to Launch Digital Archive of Critical Documents Relating to Latin-American Art
The Museum of Fine Arts and its International Center for the Arts on the Americas has announced the initial launch of a 10,000-plus document-rich online archive of materials related to 20th-century Latin American art. The archive, which was is the result of work by hundreds of researchers in 16 cities…
Brown Coffee Company: Texas Firm Hilariously Defends Anti-Gay Tweet
Brown Coffee Company, a San Antonio outfit we’ve raved about in the past is in hot water over a tweet sent out on the company’s account. In the wake of New York’s decision to legalize gay marriage, the account (now taken down) posted this: It seems clear enough, and outrage…
The Most Bizarre Music Memorabilia Ever Auctioned Off
Have you ever worked in a souvenir store, memorabilia outlet or run an online auction? If so, odds are you have developed a venal, burning hatred for collectors. Rocks Off isn’t going to mince words: collectors are some of the worst people in the world, and rock collectors are the…
Wine of the Week: A Bordeaux White
Winemaker Hervé Dubourdieu is widely recognized as one of the great producers of Sauternes, the “noble rot” dried-grape wine of Bordeaux, where grape growers let the fungus botrytis grow on their late-harvest fruit, thus desiccating the berries and concentrating their sugar and flavors. But on a long, hot summer night…
Upcoming: Adele, BT, Engelbert Humperdinck, Shonen Knife, Etc.
Adele: Tue., Oct. 18. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Agnostic Front, The Mongoloids: CHANGED Mon., Sept. 19. Fitzgerald’s. Bob Schneider: Thu., Aug. 4. McGonigel’s Mucky Duck. BT: Fri., July 15. Rich’s Houston. Cody Chesnutt: Sat., Aug. 6. Underground Live. Cymbals Eat Guitars: Fri., Sept. 30. Fitzgerald’s. Dark Star Orchestra (Grateful Dead…
Comment of the Day: The Plight of Bank-Bombing Grannies
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Racing Rachael: Taqueria in 30
I’m starting off this week’s post with a complaint. Although delicious, I don’t think that taquitos and burritos alone constitute a complete meal. I think this “meal” is a bit of a cop-out on my dear friend Rachael Ray’s part. So, I’m automatically deducting a couple of points for the…
Art Review: “Jenny Schlief Stock Photography: From the Woman Series”
In Jenny Schlief’s ongoing “Stock Photography” series (with photography by Jenny Antill), Schlief stages her own versions of photos she found while searching the websites shutterstock.com and istockphoto.com, using the keywords “fun woman.” She poses (in a variety of wigs) wearing headphones and singing into a hairbrush, happily eating what…
What Was The Biggest Surprise At Sunday’s BET Awards?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday (or thereabouts), Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Bun B, Slim Thug, Killa Cal Wayne, Kiotti, Mac, Yung Chill, C-Stone Not Invited: Kurt Loder This Week’s Prompt: The BET…
Uncovering Peter Case: The Rocks Off Interview
“I was always sort of not interested in what my generation was doing,” Peter Case told Rocks Off 10 years ago after flipping through Louvin Bros. compact discs at a now-defunct bookstore in Sugar Land, surrounded by car dealerships, business parks and seamless lawns. As bass player for proto-punks The…
Happy Birthday, Mel Brooks: Our Favorite Musical Numbers
Mel Brooks: “The Hitler Rap” “I cut my finger. That’s tragedy. A man walks into an open sewer and dies. That’s comedy.” Such is the philosophy of comedy icon Mel Brooks, who made a career out of making light of the heaviest of subject matter, including racism, the Spanish Inquisition…
Spec’s to Expand Statewide by the End of 2011
A source at Spec’s corporate offices confirmed today that the Houston-based chain of stores will be expanding to the rest of the state by the end of this year. Family-owned and -operated since 1962, Specs has been a longtime presence in Houston, and it’s now looking to bring its vast…
Clarence Vick, 61, Bayou Body Count No. 92
A southwest side man was killed in the course of being robbed while watering his front lawn early Monday morning, Houston police say. Clarence Vick, 61, had returned home from his job as a nightclub photographer when he decided to water his lawn about 2:50 a.m., police say. Vick’s roommate…
Pop Rocks: Non-Transformers Robot Movies We’d Like to See
I have nothing against robots, per se. Some of the greatest antagonists in sci-fi have been fearsome automatons like those found in Fred Saberhagen’s Berserker series, or the Terminator, or the…Battle Android Troopers (B.A.T.s) from G.I. Joe. I guess. And although robot offerings in recent years have been uneven, ranging…
30 Seconds With Miss Leslie
Rocks Off sat down with Miss Leslie to see what we could learn about Houston’s reigning queen of country in 30 seconds. Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Miss Leslie: So many songs to choose from, but I’d have to say “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” because I…
Pop Rocks: “Your Plastic Pal Who’s Fun To Be With”
I have nothing against robots, per se. Some of the greatest antagonists in sci-fi have been fearsome automatons like those found in Fred Saberhagen’s Berseker series, or the Terminator, or the…Battle Android Troopers (B.A.T.s) from G.I. Joe. I guess. And although robot offerings in recent years have been uneven, ranging…
Five Things to Dread About the Fourth of July
This Friday begins a long weekend that culminates in the Fourth of July, the annual celebration of everything American. It’s a time when many of us feel the need to do things up the right way, with big barbecues or big public events. There are pitfalls to be aware of,…
100 Creatives: Galina Kurlat
What she does: Focusing on converging the organic textures she sees in the everyday with the organic methods she uses to capture them, Galina Kurlat approaches photography with a distinct technique, one that is less about the story the pictures tell than it is about the process she uses to…
Where Are We Drinking?
We like the way this old-school deli keeps it local in its own, cheeky way: promoting Houston’s finest in its soda fountain. Have you filled your cup at this cozy spot before? Think you know where we’re drinking? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
RIP Lorenzo Charles, the Man Who Broke Phi Slama Jama’s Heart
Lorenzo Charles, who will be forever remembered in Houston as the man who astonishingly ended UH’s Phi Slama Jama’s title hopes, has died at the age of 47 in a bus crash. Charles was driving an empty bus back to his company’s depot when he crashed on an interstate in…
Generations Theatre Company Announces Summer Season
Generations, one of Houston’s younger theater companies, has announced the two plays that will make up its season, including the U.S. regional premiere of Spring Awakening, the 2006 rock musical based on Frank Wedekind’s play about sexuality and adolescence. The company will also perform ART, Yasmina Reza’s 1994 comedy that…
Terrell Owens — A Jackassery Video Anthology (with 6 videos)
The part of me that’s not a huge fan of athletes calling attention to themselves, sometimes at the expense of their team, is not a big fan of Terrell Owens. The part of me that needs several hours worth of content each week, the radio host part of me, is…
Comment of the Day
In the comments of Nick Hall’s post on a whiskey class at Anvil, Bobby Heugel mentioned that there are plenty of bars and restaurants around town also deserving of acclaim. Asked by another commenter to elaborate, he did, and it’s a pretty good list: I’m done after this because I…
Taconmadre Is Hit for Not Paying Employees OT or Minimum Wage
Taconmadre Mariachi Bar & Grill has agreed to pay $275,706 to employees who did not get overtime or minimum-wage earnings they deserved, the Department of Labor announced today. Workers at three Taconmadre locations “received salaries that did not yield the minimum wage and were not paid overtime wages for hours…
Top 5 Weed-Inspired Album Titles
Moments ago, actually earlier this afternoon now, Rocks Off opened an envelope from Universal Music that turned out to contain young No Limit-affiliated rapper Curren$y’s major-label debut, Weekend at Burnie’s (Warner Bros.). We’ll give you three guesses what the New Orleans native’s primary recreational drug of choice is; since you’re…
HISD Adds Transgender Category to Its Anti-Discrimination Policy
The Houston school district has added categories for transgendered individuals to its policy against discrimination. In addition to the already existing “sexual orientation,” HISD has added “gender identity, and/or gender expression” to its list of categories of people whom it is forbidden to discriminate against. The policy now reads: Employees…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 86, English Pea Soup at Brasserie 19
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Local Taqueria Chain in Trouble with Department of Labor, Agrees to Pay Over $275,000 to Employees
Longtime Houstonians may know Taqueria Taconmadre as a solid local chain, as a good place to grab tacos into the wee hours of the night. But the U.S. Department of Labor knows Taconmadre as the subject of its most recent investigation into illegal and improper workplace practices. A recent investigation…
Kathe Nacey: Granny Threatens to Blow Up Every Wells Fargo in the U.S. Over ATM Snafu
The older we get, the more we start to sympathize with people like Kathe Nacey. On Saturday, Willis cops were told that the 62-year-old had just stormed into a Wells Fargo bank in a rage. Apparently, Nacey’s ATM card was not working at the Pulse machine outside. Maybe there was…
And Then There Were None: Summer Chills’ Countdown to Murder
Ten years ago, Alley Theatre actress Josie de Guzman played the same role she’s playing this summer — that of Vera Claythorne, a secretary invited to a dinner party on an island thrown by Mr. and Mrs. Owen. The party turns progressively deadly as the evening goes on in until…
Fast Times: Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon with Egg Whites on English Muffin
Yes, that really is the name of the sandwich. I am not a Starbucks person–I am a Dunkin’ Donuts person all the way. If you’ve never had a Dunkin’ Donuts coffe, you are really missing out on something delicious, and I really think Starbucks’ coffee is terrible, unless you go…
Elegantly Sinister Cat Demands You Adopt Him
HSPCAVe haff vays of makink you adopt.The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals describes Prince, the cat pictured above, as “a gentle, kind kitty.” Really? This dude looks like a sinister evil genius plotting world domination. Seriously, would you ever want to get this look from a…
Emmys: Can’t Live With ‘Em, Can’t Cancel ‘Em
Nominating ballots for this year’s Emmy Awards were due Friday, June 24. As usual, columnists and bloggers devoted no small amount of space to the series, performers, and writers they’d like to see honored with an Emmy (HitFix’s Alan Sepinwall has been running his annual “If I Had an Emmy…
New Houston Rappers Salute DJ Screw’s “June 27”
So sayeth Thugga. Historically, the importance of DJ Screw’s original “June 27” track is monumental. It is, essentially, slurry Houston rap’s Sistine Chapel ceiling, responsible for an almost uncountable number of eventuals, including but not limited to Yungstar’s momentary transcendence (which had untold effects as well), starting the crystallization of…
Who Needs a Pizza Oven When You Have a Grill?
I love pizza of all varieties: Chicago-style, New York slices, mass-market chains and local Houston joints. But my favorite pizza is homemade, because it’s fun to do. Baking a pizza in the oven intimidates me, probably because my oven sucks and my air conditioner sucks. (Anyone wanna buy my house?)…
HPD’s Pink Monkey Raid: Jury Awards Employee $17,500 For Being Roughed Up
A federal jury has awarded an employee of the Pink Monkey nightclub $17,500 for being roughed up by Houston police during a 2008 raid. Donald Boyd suffers from lupus, has had a stroke and has a medical pump implanted in his stomach, and he says he was cooperating with officers…
Houston Ballet Dancers Headed to Buenos Aires
Two Houston Ballet dancers will be performing on a different continent, let alone a different stage, at the end of the week. Principal Connor Walsh and soloist Karina Gonzalez will perform the roles of Prince Desire and Aurora in a new staging of the 19th century classic Sleeping Beauty at…
The Summer of the Fried Green Tomato
Although I love making fried green tomatoes at home, I’m not that good at it. But when summer gets in full swing, I begin to crave the things like mad. And luckily, this year, an increasing number of Houston restaurants are incorporating the Southern delicacy into their menus — and…
Saturday: Kelly Clarkson At The Galleria
Kelly Clarkson The Galleria June 25, 2011 Aftermath knew that Pride weekend in Houston was going to get a little weird for us, but we didn’t think our Saturday afternoon pregame ritual would be standing amongst 100 tweens singing along to “Since U Been Gone,” fighting off a bad case…
KHOU’s Brad Woodard Enjoys On-Air Cigarette While Covering Fire
KHOU’s Brad Woodard was covering a Chambers County wildfire oil fire Friday, and if there’s one thing you need when you’re in a smoke-infested atmosphere, it’s a cigarette. So naturally he lit one up while waiting to do his live spot. He forgot one key thing, though: Get rid of…
Blues in the Night Blazes at Ensemble
The set-up: Three women live at the same seedy Chicago hotel and sing their hearts out about…what else, the blues, in Sheldon Epps’ 1982 Tony-nominated jukebox musical, now entrancing audiences at the Ensemble. There’s a young Girl With a Date (Candice D’Meza), a sophisticated Woman of the World (Roenia Thompson)…
Whiskeys of the World: Cocktail Class at Anvil Bar & Refuge
“You’re not going to like this,” says Bobby Heugel, pausing for effect while an expectant crowd giggles semi-nervously. “When it comes down to it, whiskey is the same thing as vodka.” The crowd laughs, unsure of exactly what to make of this statement. “And you know how I feel about…
Charles Donelley: Meets Underage Girl for Sex, Escapes Twice from Cops
If what the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office alleges is true, there are two things you can definitely say about Charles Donelley: Dude likes underage girls, and he hates getting arrested. Authorities say Donnelly escaped twice from police after being arrested in the woods with a 15-year-old girl he had met…
True Blood: Nick Cave & Neko Case Ditch Faeries For Zombies
Editor’s note: This post is part of Art Attack’s vampire exchange program with Rocks Off, because vampires deserve better than crappy organ music. Expectation. That’s the word of the day, gentle readers, of our not-so-gentle take on HBO’s True Blood. Welcome to the fourth season of the last great vampire…
Saturday: Vans Warped Tour At Sam Houston Race Park
Vans Warped Tour The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park June 25, 2011 Mosh pits and girls in bikinis: they’re all in our slideshow of the Vans Warped Tour 2011. As we made our way into the barren, asphalt-covered desert that was Warped Tour 2011, Aftermath was stopped by a…
Steven Sadler, 25, Bayou Body Count No. 91
Three men were talking on a porch early Saturday morning when one took out a pistol and started firing, police say. Wesley Clark, 26, has been charged with murder for killing Steven Sadler, 25, on the northwest side of town about 6 a.m. Saturday. Police say Clark, Sadler and a…
Rattan Bistro & Wine Bar Combines Pan Asian Cuisine, Smart Wine and Traffic Relief
As a relative newcomer to Houston who lives “inside the loop,” I have fallen victim to that inside/outside-the-loop mentality. I work inside the loop, while my husband works outside; add to that the fact that we share one car between us (I hear you gasping), and it may not surprise…
Falling Skies: “Prisoner Of War”
“Nobody puts paprika on chicken.” So it would appear that Pope, the Ralph-Fiennes-from-Strange Days-lookalike captured last week, is actually a chef. And the hotshot new doctor with the apparent solution to the problem to removing the “harness” organism from the enslaved children has a link to Tom’s dead wife (and…
The 2011 BET Awards, Or The Vindication Of Chris Brown
6:58: High-five to the Houston Press for flying us out to Los Angeles to cover the BET Awards. Cool move. Thus far, it’s been extra fun. We ran into Kobe and, um, saw some people filming a movie, and… uh… there were some angels or something, and… there… there was…..
Rice’s Joe Savery: He’ll Try to Get to the Majors By His Bat, Not His Arm
In the last year of his stellar career at Rice, we profiled pitcher Joe Savery and his bright prospects in the majors. Things haven’t worked out as well as expected — he had some solid outings, but eventually could not recover from an arm injury. Now he’s at the Phildelphia…
Montrose Nostalgia: Cecil’s and Chapultepec
My husband and I both lived in the Montrose area, probably about a mile and five years away from each other. We’re now outer-loopers, but we still recall our time in the Montrose with nostalgia. As we swapped stories and discussed favorites, we realized we hadn’t visited our top picks…
Triumphant and Moving: To Kill A Mockingbird at Pasadena Little Theatre
The set up: Remarkable stagecraft, consummate acting, and skilled direction blend together to create a memorable production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Pasadena Little Theatre. The ambiance of a small, sleepy Southern town is effectively created in its introductory first act, while the drama of a black man…
True Blood: Nick Cave & Neko Case Ditch Faeries For Zombies
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. Expectation. That’s the word of…
Top Five “Non-Bro” Sports Bars
From the response I got to the question “What is your favorite ‘non-dude / non-bro’ or ‘douchebag-free’ place to watch sports in Houston?” on Facebook, it would seem that a sans-bro sports bar is something of an oxymoron, the majority of responses falling somewhere along the lines of “in my…
The Week in TV: Don Draper Lives
It’s been a rough week for AMC. This was the week in TV Land: • The storm of rumors and negotiations involving Mad Men seems to be settling for now. Jon Hamm has signed to stay with the show for three more seasons in a deal that will eventually bring…
Unidentified Male Passenger of Alleged Drunk Jaguar Driver, 24, Bayou Body Count No. 90
A passenger of a Jaguar was killed in a wee-hours crash on the North Freeway Sunday, and the driver has been charged with intoxication manslaughter. Police say two cars involved in a wreck were stopped in the 2700 block of the highway, on an overpass near Patton, about 3:30 a.m…
Saturday Night: New Kids On The Block & Backstreet Boys At Toyota Center
New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys Toyota Center June 25, 2011 It’s been 25 years since New Kids on the Block emerged on the pop scene, creating an entire generation of maniacally devoted fans overnight. Some girls fainted at the mere sight of the group; others creatively crafted puff-paint…
Comment of the Day: Hilariously Inept Criticism From A Reader
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Friday Night: First Annual Westbranch Community Association Arts Crawl
When Julia Moreno-Perri and Christopher Perri traded the busy city of Philadelphia for Westbranch, a quiet, residential neighborhood in Houston, the couple was surprised. What they thought would be a tight-knit community of more than 1,000 houses turned out to be a fragmented set of buildings. After a year, Julia…
33 Years of Pride Houston Celebrates NASA, Marriage Equality
Photos from the 33rd annual Houston Pride Festival and Parade are in our slideshow. Also check out our collection of Pride celebrations across America. Houston’s 33rd annual Pride Parade took on an emotional note just a day after New York became the sixth state in the U.S. to pass a…
Where Are We Eating?
Below is an updated version of the Peking duck bun seen in so many Chinatown restaurants. But this mantou is filled with pork belly instead, its fatty edge trimmed out by a thick piece of cracklin’ and topped with fresh scallions and tangy plum sauce, and it isn’t found in…
Sorry, But These Are Your Astros
The Astros are so bad…Richard Justice is shocked, shocked, that the Astros are the worst team in the majors. Shocked because there’s just no way anybody could have foreseen the Astros being this bad. Bad, yes, but not on track to lose 100 games for the first time in team…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 87, Caldo Tlalpeño at Tacos del Julio
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 88, Frank the Pretzel at Eatsie Boys
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
2011 NBA Draft — 4 Winners, 4 Losers
My fingers are still recovering from the lengthy (eight printed pages!) live blog I did last night here on Hair Balls, but the day after the draft necessitates some post-draft analysis. I’ve now had a day to sleep on it, and without further ado, a few post-draft thoughts. Four winners,…
Comment of the Day
Mai Pham stopped by Olive & Vine and got us all salivating for some fine olive oil and vinegar. Commenter Mark W seemed to swoon a little: Jesus Christ on a toast, the truffle oil is the best damn oil I ever had. In fact, I can still remember the…
Comment of the Day: Ryan Ramirez Needs to Build Her Emotional Vocabulary
We are huge fans of So You Think You Can Dance, and we’re thrilled that our readers appear to be as well. This morning, we recapped last night’s elimination episode, in which the judges sent four dancers home (and kept Ryan and Ricky). We weren’t happy with their decision to…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we got a little bit of heatstroke earlier today, but don’t worry, we’re feeling much bleffer. Tark not in a flonger catchket. Okay, let’s tray that agoim. Welcome balk to the wily roundup here at Beating Our Swords…
Unlike City Council, Metro Board Not Expanding After 2010 Census
Just think — we could have two more Metro board members. Alas, it is not to be. Although the 2010 Census showed (barely) enough growth in Houston to trigger expansion of the city council by two seats, a study for Metro said there’s no need for its board to follow…
John Nova Lomax: I’m on the Next Episode of This American Life
It was one of those things in life you just can’t quite believe. A few weeks back, I received an e-mail from Robyn Semien telling me that This American Life was interested in a story I had submitted, and asking if I would be interested in being interviewed by Ira…
The Wildfires Come to Houston
The city of Houston proper has pretty much avoided the wildfires and grassfires that have been afflicting Texas, but today was different. The Houston Fire Department spent 90 minutes putting out a grassfire between Old Galveston Road and the Gulf Freeway just north of Clear Lake City Boulevard. No injuries…
Rob Schneider at the Improv This Weekend
It’s hard to think of Rob Schneider, the comedian who portrayed absurd characters like Rich (the “makin’ copies” guy) on Saturday Night Live as anything else, even though he left the show in 1994. Though he went to star in The Animal, The Hot Chick and the Deuce Bigelow movies,…
Top 10 Songs To Leave Out Of Your Wedding Reception
‘Tis the summer season for tying the knot. But curse the occasion for creating the ultimate breeding ground for bad music – wedding receptions. It’s one thing to unplug the jukebox in an act of defiance or flee a venue playing bad songs (I’ve done all of the above), but…
Katy ISD Cop Dennis Olivier: Boss, Someone Took The Heroin, Coke, Meth & Weed You Gave Me
No need to lock your truck or anything.As a K-9 unit cop for Katy ISD, Dennis Olivier tooled around with a white tackle box full of drugs in his squad car. The department-issued narcotics kit was used to train the dog, so that man and dog could do their part…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 89, Eggs El Salvador at Brasil
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
In Fashion: 7 Must-Reads in Style
Though I rely heavily on digital media for news and entertainment, I still love to buy and read the actual, physical fashion magazines. I went on a trip last weekend and I spent many happy hours on planes and in airports, poring over my copies of Vogue, ELLE, InStyle and…
Bruce Charles Rhodes’s Traffic-Court Follies: Kicks a Cop in the Nuts, Tells Judge He’s Joining Al Qaeda
There’s no two ways about it: going to traffic court always sucks, and that’s even if you walk away with a dismissal. When you lose your case, it’s even worse, and it’s the mother of all bummers if the violation you were charged with was kinda BS to begin with…
Odd Pair: Grey Poupon and a Chewy Spanish Red
Hamburger… it’s what’s for dinner at our house now that we’re pregnant and counting every penny, budgeting for the arrival of Baby P. (Porterhouse steak for two will just have to wait until college.) Typically, when the beef-eater in me grumbles, I like to buy fatty ground sirloin, season it…
Public Poetry’s Summer Series Continues with a No-Joke Roster
A Cornel West stage sharer, a Texas Observer contributor, an author who dropped a hand-made tome that’s covered with fur and a Quarterly West winner. Yeah, that’s a pretty kick-butt way for a new-ish poetry series to keep its forward momentum. At 2 p.m. Saturday, July 2, Public Poetry is…
Our All-Time Fantasy Vans Warped Tour Lineup
Since 1996, the Vans Warped Tour has been a staple of punk and youth culture all over the world, uniting kids of all stripes under the violent heat of the sun one day out of the year in cities across the map. The traveling festival is responisble for breaking bands…
Legalize Online Poker? Texas Congressman Says Yes
U.S. Representative Joe Barton (R-Oil), the man who famously apologized to BP for the horrible way they were shaken down by the Obama administration after the Gulf oil spill, is introducing a bill to legalize online poker, the AP reports. Yay? Barton wants individual states to allow online poker if…
The War Against Saggy Pants Has A New Battleground: Greenspoint Mall
Someone sent KTRK this picture of a sign announcing a new “No Saggy Pants” policy In case the glare makes it hard to read, it says “Greenspoint Mall’s No-Sagging Pants Policy: Any attire that exposes your undergarments will not be permitted,” in impressively formal language that also seems to put…
Rogue Improv Sets the Bar for Comedy at Rudyard’s
The set up: Houston’s own Rogue Imrov troupe brings its talents to Rudyard’s British Pub on Thursdays and delivers a fast-paced, impressive comedy revue. As the name suggests, each evening is different, but the level is consistently high, based on last night’s performance and on previous sightings. An audience member…
Happy Hour Scene: La Carafe
The Place: La Carafe 813 Congress 713-229-9399 The Deals: $.50 off all drinks The Hours: 4 to 7 p.m. The Scene: The water dripping off La Carafe’s awning onto the Congress Street curb was one of the nicest parts about sitting on the sidewalk after work. But even without the…
Bill O’Reilly, Battle Rapper: The Blowhard’s Illest Beefs
“I got dirt on you, doggy!” Pac and Biggie… Nas and Jigga… Bill O’Reilly and every rapper who has had some commercial success. You can’t exclude O’Reilly from battle rap, he is a heavy-hitting contender in the hip-hop arena. Remember when he insisted that people boycott Pepsi products because Ludacris…
Worst Shoplifter Luck Ever: Making Your Escape in Full View of a Professional Photographer
Photos by Barry SigmanThe photo that did not involve an escaping shoplifter.You’re an athletic woman who likely can easily outrun any employee of a mall shop. So even if they’re scrambling after you yelling “Shoplifter!!” as loud as they can, you know you can make it to the parking lot…
Cee-Lo Green Dropped From Rihanna Tour
Live Nation has just announced that rapper, singer, The Voice judge and Twitter foot-in-mouth expert Cee-Lo Green has dropped off the remainder of RIhanna’s “Loud” tour, including the scheduled July 9 date at Toyota Center. According to the quite brief press release, the “Fuck You” singer is no longer with…
June 18 to 24: The Week in Art Photos
It’s time again to check out the Houston Press Flickr Pool and see what kinds of art shots our talented photographers have added. We love street art, unique perspectives and beautiful photos of Houston’s creative community. If you think you’ve got a good eye, drop your pictures in the pool…
Upcoming Events
It’s a busy weekend across the city, from a pub crawl downtown to a flash mob in Clear Lake. But first things first, tickets are still available for the Hats Off to Hospitality gala this Sunday, June 26, at Haven. The gala will see nine of the city’s finest chefs…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Frédéric Perrier of Aura Restaurant
Following our conversation, covered in parts one and two of this Chef Chat, Chef Perrier brought out a glass of Pinot Noir and a few of the dishes on his menu…
Comment of the Day: Tow Truck Horror Stories
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Elaine Greer’s Favorite Swimming-Pool Songs
Homesick? Not Elaine Greer. Not anymore. The waifish singer-songwriter and 2009 Houston Press Music Award nominee for Best Female Vocals moved to Austin a couple of years back. After the usual adjustment period, she says she likes it “quite a bit.” “When I first moved here I found it overwhelming…
So You Think You Can Dance: Farewell to the First Four
Product placement is always awkward, and the brainier film or television producers choose to embrace the awkward by putting the placement on full display, as in Wayne’s World or the Burger King episode of Arrested Development (did you know you can get a free refill on any drink you want?)…
HISD Trustees Pass Budget, Listen as Larry Says He’s Not a Mooch, Anna Says She’s Not a Basher and Paula Says I’m No Judas
Trustee Larry Marshall denied any conflicts of interest in his trip to Costa Rica no matter what the Houston Chronicle says. Anna Eastman said she isn’t a “teacher basher” even though she knows some people think she is. And Board President Paula Harris saluted her friends and said she’s not…
Another Bio Of Bob Dylan: Not Dark Yet, But Getting There
The Ballad of Bob Dylan: A Portrait By Daniel Mark Epstein Harper Books, 512 pp., $27.99 Another biography of Bob Dylan? Does even the most rabid fan at this point need another rehash of Hibbing, Woody Guthrie, folksinger-goes-electric, that “wild, mercury sound,” Nashville, Blood on the Tracks, Jesus, the crappy…
Free Tastings of Gourmet Flavored Oil and Vinegar at Olive & Vine
In Europe, where small specialty shops abound, it wouldn’t be unusual to find a store that specializes in selling extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. But in a city like Houston that is home to mega grocery behemoths like Central Market and Whole Foods, it’s not just unusual but…
Wilfred: “Happiness”
When an adult human being experiences animal-related hallucinations (David Berkowitz, Jimmy Stewart in Harvey), it’s usually a sign of serious mental illness. Or they’re Dr. Doolittle, but we’re betting on the crazy. Surely this is the case with Ryan (Eljah Wood), who – as Wilfred begins – is unsuccessfully trying…
Beyond the Boardwalk: Landry’s Signature Chef’s Series
Each Tuesday night throughout the summer Landry’s is offering a private, multi-course dining experience hosted by its executive chefs. The series was launched at Vic and Anthony’s, followed next by Pesce. This week, Steven Vanderpool of Brenner’s Steakhouse on the Bayou took his turn showcasing his culinary style. The evening…
Get Ready: True Blood Report Returns Monday
Rocks Off is super-excited that we’ll once again be bringing you coverage of the music featured in Season 4 of Alan Ball’s HBO adaptation of Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse novels. The fourth book is our favorite in the series, and as each season sequentially corresponds with the books (roughly), it’s…
Our List of Weird Criminal Names, Part Three: The Recent Alvin Walmart Vigilante Case Was Full of Them
News of the Walmart Wahoo Vigilante rang out far and wide over the Houston area the other day, but in case you missed it, here’s the story in a nutshell: Three brothers walked out of an Alvin Walmart with three cases of beer they allegedly neglected to pay for, whereupon…
June 18 — 24: The Week in Photos
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. This summer, we want to see your hottest shots. Just drop them in our photo group right here. Maybe you’ll see them in this spot next week. As…
Theatre Southwest Announces Picks for Festival of Originals
Theatre Southwest announced its choices for its fourteenth annual Festival of Originals–a series of five original one-act plays, each with its own cast and director. The festival begins July 15 and runs through the 30. Here’s a rundown of the plays featured this year: Thirty Year War by Tim Davis,…
Magazine Covers Beyonce Hasn’t Been On… Yet
If a butterfly flutters its wings in a Sony Music executive’s stomach, does it cause an earthquake at the cash register? Beyonce’s label certainly hopes so, because advance word about the singer’s new album 4, due Tuesday, has been lackluster enough that according to the New York Post, the back…
More Godless GOP Governors Say No to Rick Perry’s Prayerapalooza: The (Possible) Reasons Why
The Texas Independent has more or less been keeping a running tally of gubernatorial RSVPs to Rick Perry’s invitation to come to Houston to pray and fast and be all Jesus-y. So far it’s looking grim, as would any event where Kansas Governor Sam Brownback says he’s coming. Plenty of…
Openings & Closings
In the long tradition of delivering the bad news first, we’re starting off this week’s restaurant news roundup with a couple of closings. Heights West, whose owner and chef we profiled over a series of Chef Chats back in March, closed over the weekend. What’s next for the former auto…
100 Creatives: Wayne Slaten
What he does: Film directing has been the heart of Wayne Slaten’s career for the past seven years, but it hasn’t stopped him being a renaissance media man. Slaten has dabbled in almost every aspect of film making, and his production company, Moonlite Filmwerks, has produced independent feature films, short…
The Top Ten Greatest Gays of Texas
Here in Texas, we lay claim to some of the most interesting and influential GLBT men and women of our time. Admittedly, they generally get out as fast as they can, but to us, they’ll always be Texans. Here are ten GLBT men and women we’re proudest to call Texans,…
2011 NBA Draft — The Live Blog
The overwhelming consensus on the 2011 NBA Draft is that it’s by and large a pretty underwhelming group of players, and it may quite possibly be completely devoid of future All-Stars. So why am I so excited about tonight’s festivities? Because of all the things that the spectacle of the…
Comment of the Day: Robocop
Yesterday’s COTD examined readers’ thoughts on Abby Koenig’s plea for the A.V. Pop Pilgrims to visit Houston (yeah, it’s probably overkill at this point, but we really think they should come here). Several folks thought she should have included the movie Rushmore, which was filmed here, as a reason to…
Groping-Obsessed Rick Perry Isn’t Satisfied With Your Policy Changes, TSA
The federal Transportation Security Administration has announced policy changes that mean children under 12 will no longer undergo pat-down searches. In case you were thinking that might be enough for Governor Rick Perry to end his bizarre anti-“groping” campaign, you can rest assured it’s not. There’s still red meat to…
Comment of the Day
Joanna O’Leary wrote about her favorite retro sodas, inspiring readers to chime in with their own picks. We found one comment, from Bibulb, especially intriguing: While it’s not THAT retro (although it’s been fifteen years now…) and it never made it to Houston, I enjoyed OK Soda. While I liked…
Joel Kotkin Says Houston & Gulf Coast Poised to Soar
Urban expert Joel Kotkin has always been bullish on Houston, and now he’s not even more bullish, he’s spreading the love. Kotkin has a piece on the Forbes magazine blog saying the U.S. Gulf Coast — including, of course, Houston — is ready to soar, and leave L.A. and San…
Jell-O Skylines on Display at DeSantos Gallery
Some artists use ink and paint as their medium of choice. Some use photography. Some use clay. San Francisco artist Liz Hickock uses Jell-O. “In some photography and art, you get a sense that you’ve seen everything before,” says DeSantos Gallery owner Gemma DeSantos. “But I had never seen something…
We’re Liveblogging the NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is tonight, and while the talent level isn’t as low as 1986’s pathetic crop, it’s generally considered a down year. Which means, of course, that the Houston Rockets have a lottery pick. Now, when the biggest question seems to be “Which team will be dumb enough to…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 90, Roasted Chicken at El Norteño
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Our Ten Favorite Glenn Danzig Pictures
Today is Glenn Danzig’s 56th birthday, and the former Misfits and Samhain frontman is as evil and cantankerous as ever as he stalks this cursed Earth, darkly reaping the senior discounts of the innocent. For a year now he has been able to buy black jeans and black shirts from…
Ron Paul Wants Feds’ Hands Off Your Weed
It takes a big issue to get U.S. Reps Barney Frank and Lake Jackson’s Ron Paul leading the fight together, but they have found one: Weed. Paul and Frank and four other Democrats (only one of whom has a last name that’s also a first name) are introducing legislation to…
Rappers And R&B Stars Who Would Make Great Tween Authors
So did you hear the one where 50 Cent writes a young-adult book about bullying called Playground? No, this one is not a joke. Apparently, 50 wants to explores his inner tween and examine the negative effects of bullying on young people because of his own troubled past. Good for…
Build-A-Bar: St. Germain
St. Germain is the alcoholic embodiment of romance. It’s a carefully crafted image, starting with the story of the liqueur’s provenance, through its packaging, and right on to its taste and applications. If we are to believe the ad-copy, St. Germain’s elderflowers are hand-gathered from the feet of the Alps,…
Manga: Our Top 20
British newspaper the Guardian published its notorious list of the 100 greatest non-fiction books last week, giving bibliophiles yet another tallying mechanism to measure each other by (“You haven’t read Erasmus’ In Praise of Folly? What’s wrong with you?”). Sure, we could bitch and moan about how the Communist Manifesto…
Metro Issues Statement on Fatal Crash (Update: 288 Will Suck for Tonight’s Rush Hour)
Metro is mourning the death today of bus driver David Sayers, who was piloting an empty extended bus down 288 this morning when it crashed. The agency says Sayers was returning to the bus depot at the end of his shift about 8:30 this morning and he “appears to have…
Sanctus Bellum: Nothing Certain But Metal And Taxes
What fuels heavy metal music? Some might say the Armageddon that is flirting with our world; others, watching the machinations of craven political and religious leaders. We, however, can testify that some of the best music comes from artists suffering for much more personal reasons. Ben Yaker, the leader of…
Greatest Grub: Salsa
If you’ve been in Houston for any period of time, you’ve likely had chips and salsa from more restaurants than you can remember. Unfortunately, many times the salsa is just that – forgettable. From Eating Our Words writers and a couple of nice strangers, here are some suggestions for salsa…
The Absolute Best “Baby Elephants In A Swimming Pool” Video Ever
We’ve only today come across this Houston Zoo video, but as the drought returns it’s well worth a look. Baylor and Tupelo, the Zoo’s baby elephants, have never looked cuter or funnier than in this clip. And we all know how cute Baylor can be: He swept the field in…
The Voice Final Four: Semi-Final Results Show
Last night’s live semi-final results show for The Voice suffered somewhat from a scheduling misfortune, directly following President Obama’s address on troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. I say “misfortune” because it was incredibly weird to transition from serious topics like war, death and foreign policy to a big ol’ medley of…
Michael Jackson Memories: 28 Years And Counting
Saturday, Michael Jackson will have been dead for two years. Already. The King of Pop succumbed to a drug addiction on June 25, 2009, helped along by a crooked Houston doctor, a team of enablers, and public that had grown largely indifferent to the man (but not his music) by…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Frédéric Perrier of Aura Restaurant
In part one of our Chef Chat, we discussed how Chef Perrier came to Houston and his vision for Aura. Today we’ll talk about working in the suburbs and his other venture, Hoggs n’ Chicks. EOW: Talk about the challenges of having a place in Missouri City. FP: One challenge…
Comment of the Day: Annoying Religious Bumper Stickers
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
5 YA Novels By Rappers and R&B Artists We’d Like to See
So did you hear the one where 50 Cent writes a young adult book about bullying called Playground? No, this one is not a joke. Apparently, 50 wants to explores his inner tween and examine the negative effects that bullying has on young people because of his own troubled past…
The 10 Best Drive-Thrus
Sometimes it’s just too damn hot to cook at home. And sometimes — as in these days of record heat and few cloudbursts — it’s even too hot to want to brave a parking lot and sit in a possibly under-air-conditioned restaurant. That’s where drive-thrus and curbside pick-up become our…
RIP Ryan Dunn: 15 Car Crash Songs
Rocks Off has always been a Jackass fan. The exploits of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O and the recently deceased Ryan Dunn may not be for everyone, but we’ve always maintained it’s better to be a willing participant in mayhem and physical abuse than not (*cough* America’s Funniest Home Videos…
Fashion & Beauty Infomercials: 10 Favorites
I picked up many bad habits during the decade I worked as a bartender: Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, eating junk food and watching La Femme Nikita, among others. But none are quite so shameful as my love for informercials. It’s one thing to get home from work and force…
Seven Creepy (Or Beautiful) Pictures of the Downtown YMCA’s Demolition
Demolition is continuing on the charming old Downtown YMCA building, which is nestled among modern skyscrapers. The insides are being exposed now — empty rooms, wall signs, even the scoreboard for the basketball court. It can all get pretty creepy-looking, as these pictures show…
NBA Draft Rewind — 1986, The Worst Draft Ever
As much as those who construct teams in sports would like to think that they have a formula and a blueprint that they can go execute with any team in any market and be successful, the fact of the matter is that even for the best personnel men in the…
Health Department Roundup
City health inspectors were busy last week – busy enough to offer us plenty of dirt to dig through in the form of negative restaurant health inspection reports. For this installment we’ll stick to the most egregious offenders, because if it bleeds, it leads, and if it gets written up…
Remember Lil Flip’s #KissThePinkyRang?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or un, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Lil Flip #KissThePinkyRang (Self-released, 2011) Lil’ Flip is, by even the most ardent application of the word, a hustler…
Patti LaBelle Update: Beaten Cadet Sues Airport Worker Who Allegedly Squealed to West Point
The former West Point cadet who’s suing singer Patti LaBelle’s entourage for allegedly assaulting him at Bush Intercontinental Airport last March has added an airport operations worker to the list of defendants. In an amended complaint filed earlier this week, Richard King accuses Houston Airport System employee Cahl Rasmussen of…
So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 20 Perform, Take 2
Last week, the judges couldn’t make a decision n who to send home because, you know, their job is so hard, so they rolled it over to this week and will send four dancers home tonight instead of two. Yeah, it’s kind of bogus, but that’s showbiz, and last night…
Hong Kong Seven: Goes With Chinese
Most Chinese dishes already have a balance of flavors, so it’s a challenge to match them with adult beverages. I see diners drinking Tsingtao beer with spicy food, and as far as wine, one might match chicken and broccoli in ginger brown sauce with a Sauvignon Blanc, or–I don’t know–help…
CONCACAF Gold Cup: Five Things We Learned at Reliant Stadium Wednesday Night
As anyone not a fan of Panama or Honduras expected, the USA and Mexico came out victorious from their CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal matches at Reliant Stadium on Wednesday night. The Stars and Stripes opened up the doubleheader with a high-scoring 1-0 victory over Panama, while Mexico needed extra time…
Last Night: Emmylou Harris At Verizon Wireless Theater
Emmylou Harris & the Red Dirt Boys Verizon Wireless Theater June 22, 2011 The song about the Italian painter wasn’t in the set, and at the end it seemed like it was the only song not in the set, but watching Emmylou Harris and her Red Dirt Boys paint the…
Tracy Manford Carlson’s “State of Mind” Finds Forgotten Texas
Tracy Manford Carlson’s dream is simple. “I want to be that photographer, that when you think of Texas, you think of me,” she says. When looking at her current exhibition, “State of Mind,” you get the feeling that Texas wants that for her as well. Tracy’s photographs, open for viewing…
Tasting Notes: This Week in Wine Blogs
Know a Houston-based blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. VINfluence: We were THRILLED to discover that Houston Master Sommelier Drew Hendricks has launched a blog. It’s called VINfluence, and Drew is using it to share some of his insights as…
Randall Freeze: South Texas Town Planner Busted in Murder for Hire Plot
San Patricio CountyRandall Freeze tries for the mugshot hall of fame.Randall Freeze is an orderly man. People who are not seldom get hired to chair the Aransas Pass Planning and Zoning Commission. But apparently one of his ex-wives had introduced a blight of some sort into Freeze’s tidy, manicured existence,…
Pop Rocks: The Worst Part of Parenting? The TV Shows.
Being a parent is tough, especially when the kids are toddler age or thereabouts. You’re basically on 24-7 suicide watch while the little hobgoblins cram everything they find into their mouths and clamber to the top of the bookshelves, while at the same time you try to feed them properly…
Pop Rocks: The Most Annoying Kids’ TV Shows
Being a parent is tough, especially when the kids are toddler age or thereabouts. You’re basically on 24-7 suicide watch while the little hobgoblins cram everything they find into their mouths and clamber to the top of the bookshelves, while at the same time you try to feed them properly…
Four Musicians Roth Vs. U.S. Would Have Jailed (NSFW)
Standing up for the First Amendement is a hard row to hoe sometimes. Sure, it’s fun when you can defend someone like Marilyn Manson, but it’s a lot less fun when you realize you also have to defend people like the Westboro Baptist Church. Thems the breaks, though. If you’re…
Houston Tow Truck Drivers Are Totally Above the Law
Tow truck drivers in Houston can break into your car in order to tow it — against state regulations — and here’s why: Law enforcement ain’t gonna stop ’em. We learned this by following up on an e-mail from a guy who says he watched a driver for Fast Tow…
100 Creatives: Jane Weiner
What she does: Jane Weiner started Hope Stone Inc. shortly after moving from New York to Houston in 1997 to care for her younger sister, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Hope Stone is a three-tiered organization that includes a dance and yoga studio, an award-winning professional dance company…
5 Places to Watch the Pride Parade
The annual Pride Parade, held in Montrose since 1979, remains the largest parade in Houston (not to mention the largest Pride Parade in the entire Southwest). And it’s certainly our most festive. After all, what other parade gives you a half-naked rollerblading Batman tossing condoms and Mardi Gras beads? Camping…
Take Your Dog to Work Day: 11 Oh-So-Cute Photos of Dogs Dressed for the Job
Tomorrow is Take Your Dog to Work Day, which also could be called Annoy Your Co-Workers Day, but we’re sure it’s fun for the pets and their owners. Some people don’t just take their dogs to work; they dress them for the job. And take pictures of them. And post…
Identity Crisis
Tudor Mitroi and Dumitru Gorzo, who both grew up in Romania and now live in the U.S., reflect on their lives as spectators of cultures in their new show at Box 13, paradoxically titled “Not Tourists.” Gorzo paints people he has encountered throughout his world travels, and Mitroi makes contoured…
ApolloCon Weekend
LARPers, Filkers and fen are uniting for a weekend of fandom and networking at ApolloCon, Houston’s only all-encompassing science fiction, fantasy and horror conference. The three-day convention will feature a full schedule of LARP (live action role playing) and filk (computer and cat-themed music), as well as a judged masquerade…
Pride Houston Parade and Festival
For some humbugs, today is simply the day to avoid another annual shutdown of the intersection at Montrose and Westheimer. But for about 200,000 people every year, it’s the most fabulous street closing in the city. For more than 30 years, Pride Houston has organized the annual festival and parade…
Mozart and Dvorak
Conductor Joshua Weilerstein and pianist Benjamin Hochman may be young, but these two have already established themselves as award-winning musicians. Today, they will join the Houston Symphony for Mozart and Dvorak at Miller Outdoor Theatre’s Summer Symphony Night. The concert will feature Marquez’s Danzón No. 2, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No…
The World’s Largest Sprinkler
It is a monster that’s 20 feet long, weighs 1,000 pounds and will engulf hundreds of shrieking Houston children who were just looking to escape the heat. Great white shark off of Galveston Bay? No, it’s The World’s Largest Sprinkler at Discovery Green. “We hope it’s a fun summer activity,”…
Steve Poltz & Peter Case
Peter Case wanders the highways of this newfangled America like an authentic folk-rebel who has never lost his true grit. He was a teenage beatnik who showered Buffalo, N.Y., bars with blues at the end of the hippie era, then headed to San Francisco and jump-started punk rock with the…
James Rollins: The Devil Colony
If in several months a conspiracy-theorist uncle calls to tell you that a collection of mummified remains and some cryptically inscribed gold have been found in the Rockies and that they reveal that America was founded on a lie, know that said uncle has probably been enjoying the work of…
A Measure of Meaning Poetry Reading
A handful of local poets will read their poetry today for A Measure of Meaning Poetry Reading at Heights Ashbury Coffeehouse. Local poet R.T. Castleberry says he and his group have been getting together to workshop their poems for about a year, and finally they’ve gotten brave enough to go…
Video Jam: Kelly Sears and BE Johnny
Kelly Sears is one of our favorite local filmmakers. Part stop-motion, part digital animation, her video work involves mining found imagery and media from the last 100 years and crafting it into strange, implied narratives. For example, her eerily funny 2010 short video Voice on the Line imagined a covert…
Lone Star Lyric Theater Fest
Experience the tales behind the fairytales at Simply Grimm during The Lone Star Lyric Theater Fest and get the real dirt on Cinderella and company. The fest features the world premieres of five specially commissioned one-acts, running in various combinations today through Sunday. The Lone Star Lyric Theater is known…
“Texas Zydeco”
Texas and Louisiana have lots more in common than most people might think, including a long history of zydeco music. Photographer James Fraher and author Roger Wood spent years traveling back and forth between Houston and Lafayette documenting the lives of zydeco musicians and fans. The result is a collaborative…
The Matchmaker
“Everyone wants to find love,” says the lead character in Israeli filmmaker Avi Nesher’s The Matchmaker (Pa’am Hayiti). Of course, that main character makes his living matching up unlikely pairs, in addition to his side job of smuggling. When 16-year-old Arik takes up a summer job with the Matchmaker, he…
Strongman
Within a few hours of meeting Stan “Stanless Steel” Pleskun, filmmaker Zachary Levy knew he wanted to make a documentary about the profes-sional strongman’s life. It wasn’t just that Levy had seen Pleskun perform a stunt that day at a New Jersey airport, where he kept two Cessna planes —…
Love Pain Passion and Progress: A Poe-A-Trical Life Story
The Black Box Theatre Group has only been around about a year and a half, but that doesn’t stop them from venturing into the very brave territory of an original play called Love Pain Passion and Progress: A Poe-A-Trical Life Story, written by Houston’s own Joseph Palmore, a regular at…
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition
Only one chance to the see the one ring on the big screen remains. The Return of the King Extended Edition is the final film of the Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy. Based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, this epic concludes Frodo Baggins’s quest to rid the world…
Alamo Drafthouse Homebrew Competition
Those two torrid summer lovers — cold beer and hot movies — will intertwine in a sudsy cinematic orgy once again in the Alamo Drafthouse Homebrew Competition. Heroes of the hops have already entered their best in hopes of winning prizes and bragging rights, and malty minglers will have a…
Peter Case
Peter Case wanders the highways of this newfangled America like an authentic folk-rebel who has never lost his true grit. He was a teenage beatnik who showered Buffalo, New York, bars with blues at the end of the hippie era, then headed to San Francisco and jump-started punk rock with…
Debating Austin
Debating Austin Online readers comment on “Finding Austin,” by John Nova Lomax, June 9: Little opportunity: This article is right on and a very accurate account of how Austin has changed over the years. I moved to Austin from a small central Texas town in the late ’80s and moved…
Tech Art
From MTV to computer-generated animation to the Internet, filmmaker and media-art pioneer Stan VanDerBeek was a major influence on technology’s relationship with art. VanDerBeek died in 1984 at 57, his work having made a deep impact, not only on the burgeoning field of new media but also in communications and…
Hoary Moustache
During a recent weekday lunch at Café Moustache, I picked idly at the mesclun salad in front of me as my friend Judy poked at her own bowl of chicken and sausage gumbo. The restaurant was empty save for us and one table containing an older woman who was slowly…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Evergreen: Original Contemporary Prints” “George Gittoes: Witness to War” “Jackie Gendel: Fables in Slang” “Just Press Print!” “Musicians Who Make Art” “Voodoo Pop: Mary Hayslip and Trey Speegle”
“Evergreen: Original Contemporary Prints” Print Houston 2011, a celebration of artist prints, is finding its way into multiple venues around town. Philomena Gabriel Contemporary has an interesting selection of prints for sale from the collection of Sharon and Gus Kopriva. The Koprivas have amazing stuff, and it’s a great opportunity…
Sheet Rocker
Chatter first heard of Nashville songwriter Rod Picott (pronounced py-cott) when Slaid Cleaves issued his 2001 breakout disc Broke Down. Picott, who grew up in Maine and played in a garage band with Cleaves, co-wrote the title track and eventual Americana Music Association song of the year winner. Now a…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Opening the Box, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Murder at the Howard Johnson’s, Wonderland! The Misadventures of a Girl Named Alice
Opening the Box Five veteran performers from Masquerade Theatre, Houston’s repository of Broadway musicals, have left that company to form their own: Music Box Theater. The five artists — Rebekah Dahl, Brad Scarborough, Luke Wrobel, Cay Taylor and Colton Berry — use the cabaret format to showcase their formidable talents,…
War Zoned
It’s a Thursday afternoon and Robert Searcy stands in front of an indoor prayer nook in his Glenbrook Valley home. The realtor is excited to show off the details of his mid-century modern residence, and this miniature worship center is one of the many unique features. “A lot of these…
Funny Like a Not Funny Guy
From Tad Friend’s New Yorker profile of Anna Faris (which Jezebel.com reblogged under the headline “Hollywood Insiders Admit Hollywood Hates Women”) to the glass-ceiling-shattering pressure assigned to last month’s Bridesmaids (which has thus far outgrossed every previous Judd Apatow project since Knocked Up), a case could be made that 2011…
Life’s Second Act
Playing an emotionally asphyxiated illustrator whose cancer-stricken dad comes out of the closet at age 75, Ewan McGregor looks positively yummy in Beginners, a gay-is-okay dramedy from the distributor that brought us The Kids Are All Right. In fact, this semiautobiographical movie by SoCal skater-boy-turned-graphic-designer-and-filmmaker Mike Mills has no shortage…
Too Much Pavement
ENVIRONMENT, SPACED CITY Too Much Pavement Houston’s strip malls increase heat, pollution By Richard Connelly You used to hate Houston’s ever-growing amount of pavement for increasing flooding and general ugliness. Now you can hate it for making you sweat and breathe bad air. A major new study of the Houston…
Muy Caliente Summer Edition
Dear Mexican, I’m wondering how Mexicans feel about the communities of American expats springing up all over Mexico (especially those who live near or in these communities)? Also, are there places in Mexico where it doesn’t get so hot that Americans are generally pretty comfortable year round? Could you name…
Hangin’ Tough
The 1980s was an era of big pants, bigger hair, hairspray and mall tours. It was a decade defined, in part, by manufactured teen sensations such as Boston boy band New Kids on the Block, who, 22 years after playing Houston’s Summit at the peak of their success, perform at…
The Great Salsa Debate
When you hear the phrase “salsa music,” two musicians immediately come to mind (of course): Timbaland and Magoo, the Virginia hip-hop duo most famous for making a song about a boogie that jumps up and a song that lifted the theme from Knight Rider. Actually, that may not be entirely…
Mason Lankford & the Folk Family Revival
We’ve seen Mason Lankford and his Folk Family Revival at least once a month or so for almost the past year in various forms — acoustic, electrified, stripped down to just lead singer Lankford and a guitar. Still, nothing caught us off-guard like the local group’s soon-to-be-released debut full-length, Unfolding…
Vans Warped Tour
Aside from getting to see what all the high-school kids are listening to, our favorite thing about the Vans Warped Tour is watching said kids try to rock hoodies, all-black clothing and fancy punk-rock hairdos on the hellish plot of land next to Sam Houston Race Park in the deadly…
Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt
Good Texan that he is, Lyle Lovett has always had an appreciation of history. On the Lone Star leg of the singer-songwriter’s summer tour with gravel-voiced good buddy John Hiatt, the duo is calling on some of the state’s most historic theaters, including San Antonio’s Majestic, Austin’s Paramount and Galveston’s…
Trae Tha Truth
It’s hard to believe it’s been three whole years since Houston’s Trae Tha Truth has released a proper studio album. He’s never very far from a stage or the headlines, becoming quite skilled at (according to his publicist) “keeping the music news busy with music, videos, cartoons and lawsuits.” Trae…
