Houston Chef Kevin Naderi to Be Featured on Food Network on July 28
One of Houston’s own, chef Kevin Naderi of Roost, will be featured on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay as he attempts to take down the famous show host and chef-restaurateur. The episode, entitled, “Stop, Drop & Roll,” airs on July 28 at 9 p.m. There’s a viewing party from 7…
Rick Estrin’s Blues Cruise of Hohners, Humor and Hotties
For more than 30 years, singer/harmonica player Rick Estrin — he of the sharp suits, high pompadour, thick black glasses, and distinct pencil-thin moustache — was best known for fronting the swing blues group Little Charlie and the Nightcats, named for leader/guitarist Little Charlie Baty. Since Baty left amicably for…
In Honor of Independence Day: Houston Building Implosions, Mistakes and All (With Video)
We think it’s an honor that Houston was on the short list of major cities obliterated by aliens in 1996’s Independence Day. That means we’re on par with world-class power centers like New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Paris, London and Moscow. The futuristic technology might have been a bit off –…
In Life, Animated, Disney Helps an Autistic Mind Connect
This quietly moving doc has a hook worthy of the most shameless of Hollywood weepies, offering tragedy and a miracle and much ado about the power of movies themselves. But the film is tender and patient, as fascinated by the challenges of daily life as it is by the dramatic…
Teenage Headbangers Get a Music-Biz Crash Course in Breaking a Monster
Going viral guarantees little beyond having your fifteen minutes of fame reuploaded to YouTube in ever diminishing quality, the original video (and its impressive view count) eventually lost to time and/or takedown notices. That makes Unlocking the Truth’s second act as a signed band doubly impressive: The teen group is…
Growing Up Gondry: The Director Digs Into Adolescence in Microbe and Gasoline
At their best, Michel Gondry’s movies are sad in a way that makes you not want to be happy. The problem is that Gondry’s best doesn’t extend far beyond Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, that dream-weaving romance from more than a decade back, and scattered moments from subsequent films:…
Our Kind of Traitor Kind of Gets le Carré Right
Stanley Kubrick once sent his friend John le Carré a letter about why he couldn’t adapt one of the author’s books. “Essentially,” he wrote, “how do you tell a story it took the author 165,000 (my guess) good and necessary words to tell, with 12,000 words (about the number of…
“The Whole Farting Idea Is From My Daniel”: Meet the Moms of the Creators of Swiss Army Man
An unlikely buddy comedy-drama about the friendship between a suicidal castaway played by Paul Dano and a flatulent corpse played by Daniel Radcliffe, Swiss Army Man doesn’t seem like the kind of movie you’d watch with your mother. So what was it like to be the mothers of the film’s…
Anne Fontaine’s The Innocents Finds Strength in Grayness
If there’s a war movie we haven’t seen enough of yet, it’s one from the female perspective, one that further obscures who the good guys and bad guys really are. In Anne Fontaine’s moody feature The Innocents, even the nuns are gray. During a bitterly cold winter, tucked away in…
Me Tarzan. Me Sorry About Colonialism.
At last, a Hollywood reimagining with a point. David Yates’ two-fisted pulp-studies spree The Legend of Tarzan doesn’t just update Edgar Rice Burroughs’ white-boy jungle-bro for our age of heightened sensitivities and bit rates. It interrogates the very idea of Tarzan, signing the old sport up for the good fight…
St. Joseph Hospital Patient Shot by Cop Sues Houston
A Houston man who was shot by an off-duty police officer after checking into St. Joseph Medical Center last August is suing Houston police officers, the hospital and others for allegedly fabricating evidence to justify an unlawful shooting. Filed Tuesday in Harris County District Court, Alan Pean’s suit also names…
Appealing But Absent Athenian Fare at Myth Kafe
Although the newly-opened dining hall Conservatory offers consumers the opportunity to sample multiple types of fare in one convenient space, one recent weekday evening I wanted it to be all Greek to me. Thus, I put on my culinary blinders to the fragrant tonkotsu of Samurai Noodle, the fluffy crepes from Melange Creperie and…
10 Players the Houston Rockets Should Target in Free Agency
The NBA shopping season begins in earnest this Friday, when the free agency land rush starts at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. As free agent crops go, this particular annual land rush has one plush green pasture (Kevin Durant), a few scenic enclaves (Al Horford, Mike Conley, maybe Hassan Whiteside),…
Wicked Swoops Back Into Houston Thanks to Broadway at the Hobby
The golden one and her green girl friend Elphaba will be back in Houston soon with the national tour of Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz making another swoop through Houston, courtesy of Broadway at the Hobby. Amanda Jane Cooper, who was the first-ever Glinda in the…
Houston Attorney Accuses Fellow Lawyer of Faking Letter from Doctor
Let’s say you’re prominent Houston criminal defense attorney Stan Schneider, and you’ve been hired by the wealthy siblings of a 53-year-old man who has already confessed to sexually assaulting an eight-year-old boy. You hire a psychologist to examine your client, John Dolard, and the psychologist tells you Dolard has pedophilic…
Nate Dogg: The Best Sidekick in Rap History
The late Nathaniel Hale (you know him as Nate Dogg) never charted a solo album inside the Billboard Top 30. He never released a gold record as a solo act. Hell, the guy only released three solo albums total before passing away from multiple strokes in March 2011. Point being, from…
Genesis Blu: Houston Rap’s Budding Revolutionary
Seated across the table in a downtown Houston high-rise, overlooking the sprawling skyline, Genesis Blu’s small stature belies the tremendous presence she brings to the stage. Adorned in blue corkscrew curls and delicate blue framed cat-eyed glasses, she is an artfully smart package. “People look at me and immediately think…
Houston’s 10 Most Underrated Groups
Last week we rolled out our choices for Houston’s 15 Most Underrated Solo Musicians, an especially loaded modifier for a scene forever striving to be taken seriously. Now it’s time to set our sights on those who play well with others. The process here is the same as before: we…
Blake Lively and The Shallows Are Well Worth the Dive
According to IMDb, Jaume Collet-Serra’s over-before-you-know-it The Shallows runs for one hour and 27 minutes — a number that produces a reaction something like when an NBA roster lists a short-looking player at five-foot-nine and you marvel, Really? Nate Robinson is that tall? The shark thriller has only three or…
Not Too Big to Fail: Spielberg’s Giant Has Heart — and Gas — but Not Much Story
Can Steven Spielberg do comedy? That seems like a dumb question, since nobody has done more to bring wit to the modern blockbuster; Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jaws boast as many laugh-out-loud moments as they do thrills. But those gags are often incidental, of the tension-breaking kind. When…
TCEQ Taps Marathon Oil With a (Tiny) Fine for Violating Environmental Regulations
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has issued fines against Marathon Oil for three environmental regulation violations. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s fines are usually rather paltry, but this time it’s remarkable how little the state environmental regulatory agency is actually making Marathon Oil pay for infractions the company…
HPD Premiers #RunningManChallenge Video, Featuring Dance-Happy Cops
If you’ve ever wanted to watch a bunch of dance-happy cops do the running man in an ultra-cheesy, satisfyingly awkward video, the time is now. The Houston Police Department premiered its answer to the #RunningManChallenge, the latest viral Internet dance trend in which people post videos of themselves doing their…
Fort Bend County Sheriff: Mom Shot Daughters After Calling Family Meeting
It was during a family meeting that a mother pulled out a five-shot, .38 caliber handgun and shot her two daughters to death, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday. Christy Sheats, 42, called her husband, Jason, and two daughters, ages 22 and 17, into the living room for…
Coward’s Move: Art Briles and Baylor Announce Termination on Friday Evening
When it comes to addressing the spate of sexual assaults by football players on their campus, there’s not much that Baylor University has done right, starting with their mishandling of the discipline (or complete lack thereof) of the players involved and continuing through the various steps of the aftermath. From…
This Week in Houston Food Blogs: Tex-Mex Brunch and Summertime Doughnuts
El Tiempo Cantina locations around Houston recently started serving brunch, so, naturally, Dalida of Brunch & Conversation had to go check out the new offerings, like huevos y tamales, chilaquiles and pecan pancakes y huevos. The tamales were a stand-out, of course, but the surprise of the day was the…
Landscaper Charged With Murdering Man Over Weed Whacker
Vincente Rodriguez thought he found a free weed whacker abandoned on the side of the road in northern Liberty County a couple weeks ago — though it couldn’t have been more expensive. Early Sunday morning, Rodriguez was fatally shot over the weed wacker when its owner came hunting for it, according to…
Brock Osweiler Has Sent Clear Signals He’s Moved On, But Denver Still Isn’t Over it
Throughout the annals of American sports history, and among literally hundreds of champions who have been invited to meet the President at the White House, there have been plenty of athletes who have chosen not to make the trip. Their reasons for RSVPing “No, thank you” have been various, ranging…
Notable Chefs From Mexico City and Houston Team Up for Three-Day Dinner Series
For the second time in as many years, well-regarded chefs from Mexico are coming to Houston to show off their talents, teaming up with respected local chefs at three different restaurants. The dinner series is running only three nights—from June 30 through July 2—so diners who want a taste of…
The Texas Music Festival’s Grand Finale Concert Will Move Mountains
Richard Strauss’s Eine Alpensinfonie, or An Alpine Symphony, as it’s known in English, is hardly a sparsely-scored work; it uses a heckelphone, which is similar to an English horn, eight French horns, two tubas, 16 offstage brass instruments, cowbells, a wind machine, a thunder machine and all of the standard…
Vaughn Bryant Uses Pollen to Pinpoint Where a Victim has Been and Maybe Solve a Crime
Working in his lab at Texas A&M University in College Station in August 2006, Vaughn Bryant, garbed in a lab gown and gloves, gently lifts the blood-spattered clothes from the brown paper bags they’ve been stored in for decades. He lays the clothes out, a button-down plaid cotton shirt, tan…
The 429 American Grille Does Best When it Expands the Meaning of American Grille
Piqueo was a critically acclaimed Peruvian restaurant in Cypress that not only received admiration from the Houston Press but also earned a place on restaurant critic Alison Cook’s Top 100 Restaurants list for the Houston Chronicle in both 2014 and 2015. Unfortunately, “critically acclaimed” does not always translate to “neighborhood…
Shear Madness at Stages Gives Audiences The Vote on Who the Murderer Is
Every murder-mystery play leads its audiences through a process (simple or convoluted) of tracking down who the evil villain is. But in the case of comedic whodunit Shear Madness, called the longest-running play in the United States right now and brought back to Houston by Stages Repertory Theatre, the audience…
Upcoming: Andra Day, Chance the Rapper, Elle King, Of Montreal, RiFF RaFF, Robyn Hitchcock, Yacht Rock Revue, etc.
Note: events in bold reflect highly recommended shows. Adema: With Anova Skyway, Aeon Code, Sensitiser, Dread Pixels. Fri., August 5, 8 p.m., TBA. 18th Street Pier Bar & Grill, 101 18th, San Leon, 281-339-2600. Alien Ant Farm: With Emerge, Icky Hollow, Soul In Tension. Sat., July 30, 8 p.m., $18…
Elizabeth Cook Always Leaves You Wanting More
Elizabeth Cook McGonigel’s Mucky Duck June 26, 2016 I picked the wrong month to quit drinking. That’s what we in the journalism online review business call an “evergreen” comment. It’s applicable at just about any time because it seems like yet another terrible thing is constantly happening, sending us reaching for…
For Punkstar Industries, Full Throttle Is Much More Than a Radio Show
If you spend any time around Houston music, you’ll come across people who give their time, efforts and energy back to the scene with little or no reward. Bayou City music circles are crowded with people whose day job may pay the bills but spend their nights promoting what they…
Four Houston Bars Even Non-Drinkers Will Enjoy
Houston is a thirsty city, and we have a lively bar scene here. People who enjoy tipping back a few cocktails or beers don’t have to look far to find a bar that fits their plan for a fun night out, but what about those of us who don’t drink?…
Paul Oakenfold & Liquid Todd Get Interstellar at Stereo Live
Paul Oakenfold, Liquid Todd Stereo Live Friday, June 24, 2016 A huge influence on the global music scene, the godfather of trance music, and founder of Perfecto Records, Paul Oakenfold made his way back to town for a Friday-night date at Stereo Live. The artist’s resume runs deep, arguably touching…
The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation Is Planning to Add a Second Location
Thanks to an email forwarded by a reader, we’ve learned that Legacy Restaurants, which runs The Original Ninfa’s On Navigation, is looking to expand the concept. Many longtime Houstonians remember full and well when there were once several Ninfa’s franchise locations. Regrettably, later down the road, founder Ninfa Laurenzo and…
Johnny Manziel’s Father: “[My Son] Is a Druggie”
For everyone who’s said that Johnny Manziel won’t ever play football again, and have followed that up semi-jokingly with the hypothesis that he will “wind up on a reality TV show,” in a perverse way, their predictions are coming true. Manziel’s life at this point is realer than anything a…
This Week in Houston Food Events: Pre-Independence Day Celebrations
Monday, June 27 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Wine Dinner Join Southern Goods, 632 West 19th, for this 7 p.m. wine dinner that exclusively features wines from Domaine Zind Humbrecht in Alsace, France. There will be five courses and seating is extremely limited. Tickets are $80 each and can be reserved on…
New film commemorates Paul Broussard’s murder
Twenty-five years after the brutal slaying of a gay man in Montrose, Houston Public Media has released a documentary commemorating the murder’s effect on the city. Paul Broussard, a 27-year-old banker, was beaten to death outside a Montrose nightclub in 1991. His murder spurred the largest gay rights protests in…
Alley Theatre’s Summer Chills Takes On Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web
In an Agatha Christie play, the one thing you can count on says actor John Tyson, is that everyone, no matter how seemingly lovable, is a potential murder suspect. Tyson should know because a large part of his acting career particularly for the Alley Theatre has been spent acting or…
How To Leftovers: The Barbecue Edition
My family struggles with leftovers. My wife and kids rebel at the mention of “last night’s pot roast,” and pale at the thought of eating something twice in as many days. I consider leftovers a gift to future me, affording me one more day before I have to be productive…
Theresa Roemer’s World-Famous Closet Up for Auction
If, like the rest of the world, you watched with burning envy as Houston socialite Theresa Roemer showed off her lavish three-story closet on Good Morning America, your prayers may be answered: Roemer’s Woodlands estate, a 17,315 square-foot paean to tackiness, is going on the auction block July 30. This…
Bat Boy The Musical: A Bat Boy’s Gotta Do What a Bat Boy’s Gotta Do
The set-up: How can you fault a cult musical that uses as a lyric to the main character’s upward striving, “I’m gonna Vincent van Gogh them, and Henry Thoreau them, and Plato, and Cato, and Edgar Allan Poe them…Gonna Jackie O them, Marilyn Monroe them, Botticelli, Machiavelli, Larry, Curly and…
Houston’s Best Wine Summer Ever: Deals, Tastings and Happenings
The summer of 2016 could go on record as Houston’s greatest wine season to date. Here are all the reasons why. Loire Fest The biggest news is that Loire Fest is returning in July. Now in its second year, the month-long event includes tastings and seminars, mostly at Camerata, where…
6 Insane and Awful, But Thoroughly Entertaining, Jack Chick Religious Tracts
One of the small pleasures of my teenage years was stumbling across the little religious tract comics created by Jack Chick. I still remember my first exposure to them, when I found one while waiting in a dentist’s office as a child. I was too young to really understand the…
Indicted HPD Cop Accused of Lying About DWI Arrests
Former officer Kenneth Troost said he pulled over Amy Charron because she failed to use her turn signal, was driving drunk, failed a field sobriety test and refused to consent to a blood test. Troost also said his dashboard camera didn’t record the traffic stop. Now, though, prosecutors and Charron’s…
Shows of the Week: Chris Isaak, Still Boyishly Handsome and Effortlessly Cool at 50
CHRIS ISAAK House of Blues, June 29 Chris Isaak will never not be cool. The embodiment of all things California suave, the San Francisco-based crooner will turn 50 three days before he returns to Houston’s House of Blues. Isaak of course remains boyishly handsome, but the years have been kind…
10 Tailor-Made Texas Summer Songs
Summer in Texas brings about a number of welcome traditions, including music festivals, floating the river, camping, and general outdoor good timing. Float Fest manages to fit all of these into one weekend. The third annual tubing/music confluence, scheduled for July 16-17 in San Marcos, offers festivalgoers the opportunity to float…
Elizabeth Cook Breaks Through Past Demons on Brilliant ‘Exodus of Venus’
Many of country music’s legendary artists – Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings and on down the line – have used the hard times and hard luck present in their own lives as a crucible to create great music. What Elizabeth Cook has been through in…
16 Hospitalized After Synthetic Marijuana Overdose at Hermann Park
The calls started rolling in about people at Hermann Park who appeared to have “altered states of mind” around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Houston Fire Department Capt. Ruy Lozano told reporters yesterday. The victims were spotted in an area of the park so notorious for synthetic marijuana users that it’s nicknamed…
World’s Tallest Water Coaster Is Now Open at Schlitterbahn Galveston Island
Schlitterbahn Galveston Island’s newest ride, MASSIV, the tallest water coaster in the world, is now open for business. We’re talking 926 feet of fast-hurtling awesomeness through four uphill sections, an enclosed tunnel section, a state-of-the-art translucent turn and an incredible triple drop finale. It’s also the longest slide at Schlitterbahn…
52-Year-Old Man Arrested In Fatal Stabbing Of Houston Teen
Houston police announced yesterday they have arrested a 52-year-old man who admitted to fatally stabbing a 14-year-old boy in a dentist’s office parking lot in southwest Houston late Monday night. The boy, Joseph Aguirre-Flores, had apparently gotten in a fight with his girlfriend when he took his mom’s car and…
Moving On Up: Houston Real Estate Valued at More Than $10 million
Ready to upgrade your humble abode? Here’s a look at seven properties in the Houston area listed at more than $10,000,000. We’ve heard of 30-year mortgages, but do lenders ever offer 10,000-year mortgages? This Georgian home at 7 Winston Woods is described as a “classic John Staub grand country house”…
Houston’s 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Celebrate Pride with Brunch and After-Parties
Here’s a look at this weekend’s best culinary happenings: Pride Weekend Celebration @ Triniti Restaurant Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 2815 South Shepherd To honor Houston Pride Week and in support of the LGBTQ community, Triniti Restaurant…
It’s Raining Dogs and Dogs at BARC
Summer is crunch-time at BARC, which just took in a remarkable 180 dogs on Tuesday alone, and fosters and adopters are desperately needed. That’s the bad news. The good news — for both you and the critters — is that BARC has amazing offsite adoption events through July 2, with…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Independence Day: Resurgence
Title: Independence Day: Resurgence Describe This Movie In One Simpsons Quote: Bob Dole: “It’s time to tear those aliens a third corn chute.” Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Two Spaceball Ones out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: The aliens are back, and they’ve installed Norton Anti-Virus. Tagline: “We had twenty years to prepare…
Upcoming Houston Food Events: Bernie’s Burger Bus Joins The Burger Joint for One Night Only
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary events. Pastry chef Susan Molzan will be offering her famous white chocolate bread pudding at Petite Sweets, 2700 West Alabama, on weekends only—starting every Friday until it sells out, now through the end of the summer. Served…
Contemporary Saudi Arabian Artist Builds a Better Mousetrap in “Parallel Kingdom”
Perhaps he learned how to build the ultimate mousetrap during his stint as lieutenant colonel in the Saudi Arabian army, but artist Abdulnasser Gharem’s mixed media installation, Capitol Dome, is a precariously balanced show-stopper over at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art. On a massive platform of black plastic (resembling…
A Fine Weekend to Secede From Small-Mindedness
PANK EVERYTHING Blame the mild spring and slow summer, or whatever it is that sets these souls a-reeling, but there does seem to be an awful lot of people who are desperately eager to hurtle a century and a half backward in time. Just think about those Texan secessionists forever…
UH Might Be Looking to Upgrade Conferences, But What About Rice?
There’s been a focus in Houston lately around the Houston Cougars, their chances of jumping to the Big 12, one of college football’s power conferences. The Cougars are looking to secure their future in college athletics, and school officials doubt they have a bright future as a member of the…
Openings & Closings in Houston: Acclaimed Kitchen Rolls Out of EaDo
We’ve known for awhile that beloved East End gem Kitchen 713, 4515 Canal, would eventually close its original restaurant and move to a more central location. That time came suddenly and unexpectedly this week; the original location is now closed, but there’s no word yet on the new address. The…
The Five Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: Pride, Undies and Fast Cars
Pride Houston® is serving up a triple-scoop of rainbow fun this Saturday, making for a daylong celebration of nonconformity with a festival, a parade and some oh-so-naughty after parties. But look beyond the flashy glitter and try to make room for a few other awesome events, as well, including what’s…
Brian Is Zé Speaks Out for Houston’s LGBTQ Musicians
The 19th-century U.S. poet Emily Dickinson famously penned that “People need hard times and oppression to develop psychic muscles.” But would she make the same statement in a time that pits two casuistry experts knee-deep in their own harvested fields of bullshit, a year when our violence-addicted country witnessed its…
Amid Protests, Sheriff Hickman Renews Program That Facilitates Deportations
“It’s been a hard day,” Citllali Alvarez said with a sigh, walking with a dozen members of United We Dream to a shade tree after protesting Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman’s decision to a continue a program that facilitates deportations of undocumented people. She had just come from a press…
The Five Best Mid-Year Lists of 2016 (So Far)
With tens of thousands of albums released every year, and potentially hundreds of them specifically worth your attention, year-end “Best Albums of the Year” lists are a valuable tool to narrow the field. The only problem is they only come but once a year! By June, the previous year’s list…
Friday Free for All: Karaoke Underground, Blink-182, Chicano Soul, Kluster, etc.
The Friday Free For All relays albums, artists, videos and vibes the Houston Press Music staff has been grooving to over the past week. KARAOKE UNDERGROUND What’s your “go-to” karaoke song? Any self-respecting music lover has one. Mine is Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right,” which is found on practically…
Supreme Court Deadlock Blocks Obama’s Immigration Reforms
The U.S. Supreme Court split evenly Thursday morning in deciding whether President Barack Obama’s executive-action immigration reforms were within his authority — but because of the 4-4 tie, the high court deferred to a lower court ruling which blocked them. Texas sued the federal government last year over Obama’s November…
No More Second Chances for The Durham House – It’s Closing
Sad news on Houston’s dining front: The Durham House’s chef Mike McElroy has to move to Spokane, Washington for personal reasons and proprietor Raj Natarajan, Jr. has decided it’s time to close up shop. The last day of service will be this Saturday, June 25. McElroy was actually the second…
The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds UT Affirmative Action Program
In an opinion announced Thursday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to uphold the University of Texas affirmative action program in a 4-3 vote. “The race-conscious admissions program in use at the time of petitioner’s application is lawful under the Equal Protection Clause,” the court held in the opinion penned…
Parents, Alumni Sue HISD Over Renaming Schools Honoring Confederacy
Houston Independent School District board members decided earlier this year that having several schools named after Confederate officials wasn’t necessarily reflective of the district’s “values and diversity,” as HISD described in its announcement. But changing the names of eight schools with Confederate namesakes didn’t go as swimmingly as the board…
Stirred and Shaken: Sangria at Sassafras
We were traversing the dark back streets of northwest Houston in search of Sassafras—not the leaves, but the bar. At night, the area around 5022 Pinemont seems old, forgotten and a little broken. “Are we going to get stabbed or shot?” my companion joked. It wasn’t very funny but the…
Houston Sees a Flawless Anderson .Paak at House of Blues
Anderson Paak & the Free Nationals, Little Simz, Pomo House of Blues June 22, 2016 You know that weird, audible hum you hear after shows? You normally hear it after a performer either blows your mind or does something that you’re going to talk about on social media the next…
eculent Is Hosting a Beatles-Themed Dinner With the McCartneys
Beatles fans, this one’s for you: Next Monday and Tuesday, June 27 and June 28, you have a chance to dine in the company of Ruth and Angie McCartney—Sir Paul McCartney’s stepsister and stepmother—at eculent Restaurant in Kemah. David Skinner, eculent’s owner and executive chef, says that he met the…
TEA Defends Lawsuit From Texas Parents
Last month, parents from around the state sued the Texas Education Agency over the controversial, high-stakes standardized test called STAAR, asking a court to throw out test scores for grades three through eight because they believe TEA broke its own rules. The state education authority filed its response to the…
Tunnel Explorer: DGN Factory in Downtown Houston
DGN Factory is at 1001 Fannin in the tunnels and I’ve kept an eye on it for a long time. It seemed to take forever for the space to transition from “Coming Soon” to “Now Serving.” While it’s been a few months since I’ve made the trek underground to scope…
NBA Draft: The Five Best and Five Worst Houston Rockets Picks of the Past 20 Years
The 2016 NBA Draft is tonight, which is something that, a few years ago, would have had me so excited that I would ponder taking a vacation day on Friday so I could ensure maximum enjoyment Thursday night. At one time, not all that long ago, I was an unabashed…
How Much Should You Worry About “Flesh-Eating Bacteria” at Galveston Beaches?
It’s safe to say Galveston beaches are having a pretty bad month. First, local TV news stations reported either inaccurate or misleading stories about a “handful of sea lice cases” in Galveston, accidentally freaking out dozens of beach-goers. Then, a shark chomped into a six-year-old’s leg while she was floating in…
You’re Not “Awkward” With Women. You’re Just Creepy
I like going to Neil’s Bahr when it’s quiet and having beer and a round of Cards Against Humanity or two. But when it’s not, it can get super douchey, super fast. Last time I was there, a steampunk gentlesir leered at my chest, said I had great tits, and…
First Look: Ritual in The Heights
The former El Cantina Superior at 602 Studewood is practically unrecognizable except for the familiar oblong patio and the big, windowed garage doors. Inside, the space is a mix of rustic and industrial elements; a balance of wood against iron. There’s a huge beer board, cleverly designed to mimic a…
Whataburger Always Makes Beautiful Music
It’s all too easy to make the analogy that Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen are to musicians what Whataburger is to fast-food franchises. Both the pair of popular country singers, who released 2015’s acclaimed duets album Hold My Beer and Watch This, and the burger chain, which sports nearly 800…
Long-Dormant Tsunami Bomb Set to Detonate in Houston
When punk rockers Tsunami Bomb reunited late last year, they tested their footing on the solid home turf of Northern California. But Texas was high on their list of places to revisit and the band had a local, original member already here, ready to go. She’s Oobliette Sparks, keyboardist and…
My Son’s Friend Saw Me Naked. Help!
MY SON’S FRIEND SAW ME NAKED Dear Willie D: I used to not think anything of showering with the bathroom door unlocked because I lived alone with my son. We have a rule: If the door is shut, knock. I’m not one of those free spirited mothers who walk around…
Bill Ham, Ex-ZZ Top Manager and Texas Music-Industry Giant, Passes Away at 79
Bill Ham, the maverick businessman who managed ZZ Top for more than 30 years, has passed away. According to the Austin American-Statesman, his death was confirmed by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office without disclosing a cause. Once one of the most powerful music-business figures in Texas, if not the…
Vandals Destroy Gay Man’s Pride Flag in Tomball
Twenty-year-old Scout Register got a call from his sister Saturday night while he was at a friend’s house. She had just seen mean in two white trucks come by and steal his gay-pride flag — again. This was the second time it happened in a week, and so Register, upset,…
Dwight Howard Opts Out of Contract With Rockets
When Dwight Howard arrived in Houston in July 2013, with dreams of championship runs dancing through the heads of Rocket fans everywhere, we all assumed he would opt out of his four year contract after the third year, so his doing so today, unto itself, is not a surprise. However,…
Woman Claims Taco Bell Workers Threw Hot Grease at Her, Gets Charged With Criminal Mischief
A woman who said Taco Bell employees threw hot grease at her and her friends and attacked one with a knife has now been charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief. The fight took place on June 1 at the Taco Bell on the South Loop near 288 and 610, and started when…
The Houston Press Is Seeking Talented Freelance Food Writers
The Houston Press is expanding its coverage and wants to grow its band of talented freelance food writers. Ideal candidates will have strong opinions about food and drink and the knowledge to defend those opinions. Published food writing samples are a must. Writers from all over the Houston area are…
Gay Pride Month Sashays Through Town and Serves Up Lesson in History
Why do we have Gay Pride Parades? Because we can, darling! The Houston Gay Pride Parade is sashaying through Downtown Houston, and it’s bringing all its rainbow-flavored fun with it. The annual event is nothing short of show-stopping. In total, the day’s festivities include a Pride Festival, a parade, and…
In Five Years, at Least 25 Restaurants Have Closed in Montrose
Longtime Houston residents are well aware of how much Montrose has changed over the past two or three decades. However, it’s surprising to see how much it has changed just in the past five years. Former Houston Press restaurant critic Katharine Shilcutt wrote an article about the “restaurant gentrification” of…
Closing Chase Tower Sky Lobby Moves Something Wonderful Away From Houstonians and Tourists
The Houston Chronicle reported on Tuesday that the Sky Lobby on the 60th floor of the Chase Tower in downtown Houston has been closed by building management. According to the story, the lobby is now permanently off limits to anyone not working in the building “in the interest of the…
The Secret Group’s Secret Weapon? Party King Andrew W.K.
When asked probably the worst, most trite question one can direct to a new business owner, The Secret Group’s Reed Marshal Becker handles it with comedic sangfroid. The question: where do you see The Secret Group ten years from now? “Ten? Stalin only asked for five,” he quips. “Truly, we…
