5 Power Breakfasts to Get You Through Your Day
Mama always told us to start our day off right with a healthy, satisfying breakfast. To make it until lunch, and hopefully avoid that dreadful ten a.m. slump, you need to eat a meal that includes a good mix of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. We all know this, but we…
Vivian’s Kitchen
The road marquee read, “VIVIAN’S KITCHEN FRESH MADE TACOS THANK-YOU,” and it had a pair of antlers attached to it. We were traveling down Hempstead Road when we spotted Vivian’s Kitchen (8515 Hempstead Rd., no phone), a taco shack that looked abandoned but wasn’t. It was like something you would…
The Top 10 WTF Pictures Submitted To Our Flickr Group (NSFW)
Our Houston Press Flickr page is open to any and all who’d like to submit pictures. And readers have submitted more than 7,600 of them. And we have to admit, some of the make us go WTF? Especially if they involve topless, pierced, tattooed, fierce-looking women…
HISD Maintenance Department Receives A Low Grade
A just-released independent study of the Houston ISD’s maintenance department came up with 23 key points that it says should change in the operation of the district’s Construction, Facility Services Group — not the least among them that it has too many layers, too little planning, poor response times and…
And Now… More HPMA Nominee MP3s
The 2010 Houston Press Music Awards showcase and ceremony are inching ever closer, and we are very, very close to being able to announce this year’s special guests at our showcase August 7 along Washington Avenue. We can also tell you that the list of local bands playing the showcase…
Business Casual at Mockingbird Bistro
Mockingbird is a rare find these days, even if it can’t really be considered a “find” anymore after being open — quite successfully — since January 2002. What makes it so rare is a combination of old school charm and hip sensibility: white tablecloths in a funky, Montrose building, a…
Game Time: NBA Free Agency — Watch Me Compare Daryl Morey to Bobby Baccala
Okay, let me get this out of the way… Daryl Morey knows what he’s doing. In Daryl we trust! In Morey we trust! Daryl Morey is the NBA GM version of William Wallace with an undergrad degree from the Jedi academy and a PhD in ninja skills! I love Daryl…
Chef Chat, Part 1: John Ly of Strata Restaurant
We met with Executive Chef John Ly of the new Strata Restaurant in the Champions area, and he shared some tips for young aspiring chefs. Eating Our Words: So I understand you started off pursuing a computer science degree. Tell me about that. Ly: Yeah, I went pretty far towards…
Greg Abbott Blames Obama For Bullets Hitting El Paso’s City Hall
In the ever-escalating battle between Governor Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott to see who can put out the most shameless press releases exploiting the hot-button issue of “protecting our borders,” today’s A-for-effort goes to Abbott.Tuesday, bullets that were fired (apparently with very bad aim) in Juarez crossed the…
No Changes Needed At Houston’s Messed-Up Fingerprint Lab, City Council Decides
The Houston City Council approved today — despite concerns from several council members — a contract to keep paying a consulting firm to basically run the police department’s fingerprint lab.Mistakes in the lab, which is in bad shape to say the least, have been the target of audits and even…
A Different Kind of Burger: Louis’ Lunch
Since 1928, Louis’ (pronounced Loo-ee-z) Lunch in Gainesville, Florida has been mixing up its special batch of meats and spices, forming them into small patties and frying them in a cast-iron skillet. Yes, you read that right, their method of making an already unhealthy indulgence even more unhealthy involves hot,…
“Monkey With Arthritis”: Top 10 Cattiest Musician Insults
Think of Tony Bennett and you’ll probably picture the kindly older gentleman crooning “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” and any number of other pop standards, or perhaps the guy who upstaged Alec Baldwin as “Anthony Benedetto” (his birth name) on a 2006 episode of Saturday Night Live, turning…
Patricia Wolff Tries To Save Haiti With Peanut Butter
Patricia Wolff is not a doctor to be messed with — she’s a black belt who carries a stun gun and pepper spray. All three can come in handy in disaster-stricken Haiti.Wolff, a St. Luois pediatrician, is on the island trying to fight starvation and disease with “medika mamba,” which…
Bobby Heugel’s Weekly Cocktail: The Swizzle
I know what you’re thinking. Yes, the swizzle does sound like some crazy drink Snoop would have verbally invented at the height of his popularity. And it wouldn’t be the first of his concoctions – gin and juice, anyone? We can see Snoop riding down Santa Monica in a drop-top…
Rocks Off Close To 2,000 Twitter Followers… And A New Tattoo
Allow us to step out of the usage of the royal “we” that we use at Rocks Off for a blog that will have a lasting impact for the rest of our lives. Not Rocks Off at large, but one member who made a promise on the Internet that he…
Apple iPhone 4: Houston Lawyer Files Suit Over Antenna “Scam”
Is the iPhone 4 a scam? Did Apple knowingly make an imperfect device, one which is practically designed to drop calls, and then expect owners to cough up extra cash to buy the fix?The answers to these questions are a resounding yes, if you ask Houston attorney Danny Sheena, who…
Summertime Splurge: Ice Cream at The Chocolate Bar
Whether it is an innate physiological response to the sweltering heat or a more shallow desire to look good while lounging poolside, people have a tendency to eat lighter during the simmering months of summer. But this rule of thumb excludes ice cream. So despite my recent healthful eating kick,…
Molly Hagerty, Al Gore’s Accuser, Has A Houston Connection
The masseuse who accused Al Gore of trying to force her into sex in a Portland hotel room has a Houston connection.The name of the accuser is public now, because she is telling her story (and posing with her “stained pants”) for the National Enquirer.Her name is Molly Hagerty, 54,…
Armadillo Palace Branching Out Beyond Yee-Haw Texas Music
Don’t look now, but subtle changes are occurring with the music lineup at Goode’s Armadillo Palace. Long one of the bastions of the Texas music scene associated with the likes of Pat Green, Cory Morrow and Roger Creager, this week finds fresh blood – honky-tonker Mike Stinson and Austin roots-music…
Centerpoint Now Lets You See Where There’s No Power. If You Have Power To See Their Map
Right now there are 65 people without power on Bissonet in Southwest Houston! And a guy near the corner of Hillcroft and Bellaire Boulevard is powerless, too!!How do we know this? Centerpoint Energy has a new semi-interactive map that lets you see where power outages are and how many people…
The Manichean, Not Quite As Mysterious As They Sound
Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group “Artist of the Week,” bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn’t awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Here’s the cool thing about the HPMAs: they…
HPD Officer Deyna Carabajal Loves Facebook, Apparently Hates Hondurans
Channel 2 broke a story last night about Houston police officer Deyna Carabajal, who patrols the Fondren Southwest division.Girl loves her Facebook, and she’s hip with all the abbreviated lingo that people — sorry, we meant to say “ppl” — use because they’re just too darn busy to type their…
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. Fork and Cork: Today is the last day to grab a meal…
Unidentified Female, Bayou Body Count No. 161
A man has confessed to killing a woman whose decomposed body was found on the north side Friday evening.Ruben Escobedo Juarez, 41, has been charged with murder in the case of the unidentified female, believed to be between 40 and 50 years old. Her remains were discovered ny a passerby…
The Hole Review We’d Like To Write Next Week
“As we all waited, sweat-covered and parched, for the encore, something flashed over us in the crowd. Courtney Love had finally kicked her demons into the gutter, and we were all there witnessing it together. “The lights dimmed a little more and Aftermath spied that shock of blonde hair in…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #12 Fried Chicken at Frenchy’s
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
Top 5 Songs On Jacob Black Of Twilight’s iPod
Well, today is the day Twilight: Eclipse is released, and a million voices are screaming, “Honey, do we hafta?” Since Gothtopia already runs a column on vampires – and may we add that Bill Compton would put some serious maim in Edward Cullen’s sparkle motion? – today we’re gonna talk…
20 Possible New Names For The UH Bookstore/Merchandise Shop
The University of Houston is having a contest, and you are invited to enter. The Cougar merchandise store inside the Athletics/Alumni Center has been taken over by Barnes & Noble, and will henceforth no longer be known as Cougar Authentic. Thus, the university is seeking your input as to a…
Stirred and Shaken: The Ginger Man Pub’s Scottish Schwinn
The Ginger Man Pub (5607 Morningside Dr., 713-526-2770) is the misfit at the frat party that is the southeastern corner of Rice Village. Its bigger neighbors, two of which also feature “pub” in their names, make The Ginger Man seem so precious in comparison that I’m forced to pinch my…
Why The Second Amendment Goes Entirely Too Far
Unrestricted gun ownership is a hazard and a danger to the lives and safety of all Americans. The decision handed down by the Supreme Court on Monday called tough local laws against gun ownership unconstitutional in an extremely vague 5-4 ruling. Exactly what the repercussions will be from the decision…
Wicked: Back Stage Where All Sorts of Things Are Flying About
An enormous dragon hung over the front of the Hobby Center’s stage yesterday — it took 10 hours of work to reassemble it and place it there on Monday.Below, workers were stringing cable, putting hardware and software into its final places, all prior to bringing in the special floor for…
Houston’s 10 Best Beach Homes
See that lovely view above? That’s Galveston Bay, and it’s looking better than ever this summer thanks to skyrocketing travel costs (have you tried to book an airline ticket lately?) and the massive oil spill that’s decimating the rest of the Gulf coast. What’s more, real estate on Texas’ Gulf…
Gerald Posner Does Houston (Press)
When investigative reporter Gerald Posner was busted for plagiarism by our sister publication, Miami New Times (among others), it was a big disappointment. It’s the kind of thing that, at least temporarily, casts a shadow over all reporters — folks who don’t exactly have a whole lot of popularity to spare.Posner…
Joe Phillips: Attorney Charged With Ripping Vets Off For $2 Million
The feds indicted a Houston attorney and his wife today for ripping off veterans. And not just any veterans, veterans who had been declared incompetent, thereby putting their financial lives into the attorney’s hands.Joe Phillips, 71, and his wife Dorothy, 70, were charged in a 26-count indictment of conspiracy, tax…
The Shameless Chef: A Raviolier Ravioli
Have you ever slouched out of bed around 1:30 in the afternoon, grunting and snorting, and staggered to the kitchen, opened up a can of ravioli for breakfast, and tossed it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, only to realize “Damn. This ravioli just isn’t ravioli-y enough”? No?…
Channel 39 Will No Longer Be Like The Onion’s TV News
Big, bold changes are coming to television news in Houston. For the fourth, fifth, 18th time? Who knows?Next up in the bold-changes batting box will be Channel 39, KIAH, which is owned by the Tribune Company. And the Tribune Company has a “chief innovation officer” named Lee Abrams who has…
The Undertaker Gets Married In Houston, And We Weren’t Invited
Social news reaches us from Wrestling Inc that The Undertaker, a very famous wrestler amongst those who follow such things, was married here in Houston this past weekend.The bride was one Michelle McCool, who also participates in the wrestling arts, becoming WWE’s first Divas Champion. She is a former teacher…
Top Five 1950s Foods
Even though I was but a glimmer in my mother’s eye during the 1950s, I still feel nostalgia for that era. The booming post-war economy, a young, spritely Elvis Presley, and flattering poodle skirts: What’s not to like about this decade? Oh, that’s right. Rampant racial discrimination, nuclear proliferation, and…
Stones In Exile Still Stuck In 1972
With its recent hugely successful reissue and – depending on how much extra cash you want to shell out – bonus tracks, limited-edition postcards and a 10cc sample of genuine Mick Jagger semen (OK, maybe not), deservedly or not Exile on Main Street continues to be the most lauded and…
Brew Blog: Le Freak from Green Flash Brewing Co.
It was the artful label that drew us to Le Freak, an “extreme ale” from California’s Green Flash Brewing Co. But it was even harder to pass up when we read the description: “converging San Diego-style imperial pale ale and Belgian-style trippel.” This certainly went a step beyond a black…
Game Time: NBA Free Agency — So Is Dwyane Wade Gonna Hold It For You While You Pee Too, LeBron?
Nothing worth chasing in life comes easy, so to say that by pooling their collective talents together to try and chase an NBA title in Miami that LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade are taking the “easy way out” isn’t entirely fair.Actually, to be fair, with a ring to…
Rdio.com Helps Us Get Over Lala
Rocks Off is no longer a grieving widower, bemoaning the loss of his faithful Lala.com with the shades drawn and a glass of wine, constantly clicking a dead link while listening to Leonard Cohen on CD like a caveman. A few days after Lala died, we got a message from…
The Kids from Kahn’s Deli
We recently had an opportunity to sit down with Rice Village and West U’s youngest marketing and catering duo, David Tomlinson and Matt Smith of Kahn’s Deli (2429 Rice Blvd., 713-529-2891) in the Rice Village area. We got to sample Kahn’s deli trays, and the sandwiches were amazing. They were…
Galveston County Doesn’t Want Prison Legal News In Its Jail
The folks at Prison Legal News are suing the Galveston County Jail, Sheriff Freddie Poor, and former Sheriff Gean Leonard, claiming the county is violating the monthly newsletter’s First Amendment rights by refusing to deliver issues to incarcerated subscribers.Filed Monday in federal court, the suit claims that the alleged jail…
Upcoming: AA Bondy, Built To Spill, Chris Knight, Ra Ra Riot, Etc.
2Cents, Season’s After, Taking Dawn: Sat., July 31. Warehouse Live. AA Bondy, JBM: Sat., Aug. 14. Mango’s. Andre Williams: Sat., Aug. 21. Continental Club. Anthony Hamilton, Kem, Jaheim & Raheem DeVaughn: Sat., Sept. 4. Toyota Center. A.R. Rahman: CHANGED Fri., Sept. 17. Toyota Center. B.B. King: Sat., Oct. 9. Verizon…
Infusion Overkill: Introducing Salmon Vodka
A year or so ago, I jumped on the vodka infusion bandwagon and began experimenting with throwing random ingredients into my jug of Monopolowa. It all started with a road trip to New Mexico, where I procured many different varieties of chili peppers that I hoped would result in a…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes #13 Chicken Fried Steak at Ouisie’s Table
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
Joel Achenbach: Not A Fan Of Houston
Joel Achenbach is the well-respected writer-of-all-things for the Washington Post; he’s in Houston, or at least was yesterday.Color him unimpressed. At least with the weather.I keep my car AC cranked, and all internal spaces in Houston are air conditioned to meat-locker levels. But when you step outside you’re hit with…
Is The Westheimer Block Party Done For?
Bun B For Lafayette – ATLiens Freestyle from Decatur Dan on Vimeo. • Dave Bry at the witty pop-culture blog The Awl writes about rap music’s eternal embrace of consumerism, using Bun B’s most recent release, a rap written in honor of Japanese clothing company Lafayette, as an example. It’s…
TCEQ & The Sunset Commission: Texas Environmental Groups Try Working Together
The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, made up of 12 state legislators who evaluate state agencies every dozen years, is examining the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and will make a recommendation during the next legislative session whether to renew, tweak, or abolish it, and start over from scratch.In response, environmental…
Can – Should – DJs Be Rappers Too?
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -lots of times, you’re even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good- so once a week we’re going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask…
Gourmet Goodies at Marshall’s
To some, a discount warehouse may not seem like the ideal place to accomplish any of your grocery shopping for the week. But I’ve long been a fan of scouring the aisles at places like Tuesday Morning, T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s for deals on gourmet goodies like Sarabeth jams and…
Twilight Eclipse: Five Questions From A Newbie
Tonight, at midnight, it begins. Another round of Twilight madness.Teens, tweens, moms who are the female equivalents of old dudes going to Hannah Montana movies, all will be there. For the premiere of Twilight: Calypso.Set in the bouncy Caribbean and featuring a jaunty soundtrack highlighted by The Bravery’s take on…
Top 10 Last Words By Famous Musicians
Musicians tend to be a mouthy lot. It takes a certain kind of soul to want and express your own inner world to the outer world at large. So when the time comes for them to shuffle off this mortal coil, they often have some very interesting exit lines… 10…
Three Easy Food Swaps
Clever marketing from your local eateries can fool you into thinking your not-so-healthy choice is healthy. Here are a few simple tricks that will help you shave off some major calories…
Dear Ed Wade: What Took So Long?
Dear Ed Wade,I’m really wondering if you can yet provide me with a legitimate answer for why you kept Chris Johnson stuck down in Round Rock for so long this season?Yes, his defense has been as bad as advertised, but it’s really been no worse than the defense of Pedro…
Nigella Lawson’s Pain-Au-Chocolat Pudding, Pt. 2
Yesterday I reviewed Nigella Lawson’s Pain-Au-Chocolat Pudding. I also promised to give you the recipe, so here it is, along with some of my recommendations. Refer back to part 1 for all of my pointers…
Top 5 Bizarre But Lovable Video-Game Theme-Song Covers
Rocks Off is an old-school gamer. We relished those days of racing off the school bus in anticipation of milk, cookies, Goomba stomping and sore thumbs. Back before graphics surpassed gameplay on the scale of importance, most of our gaming quandaries could be solved by blowing into cartridges or popping…
Purple Drank Goes Pro, Thanks To ESPN
ESPN’s Outside the Lines, the Emmy Award-winning investigative series that examines topical issues off the playing field, aired a feature over the weekend on Houston’s very own rap mascot – purple drank – the dangerous mix of prescription codeine cough syrup and any range of mixers from Sprite (and maybe…
Cecil Harris Young & Recessioned: At A Job Fair, Trying To Find A People Job
Today’s installment of Young & Recessioned features Cecil Harris, who spent Monday afternoon at a Houston career fair trying to find some work. I’ve been looking for a job since December, and it’s like, there are no jobs. I was working as a dispatcher with an incorporated company for Continental Airlines…
Pop Rocks: Katy Perry — Boob Job
There are a lot of musicians with the surname “Perry.” There’s Joe Perry, venerable (and occasionally addled) guitarist for venerable rock group Aerosmith; Steve Perry, still the only vocalist of any distinction for Journey; Lee “Scratch” Perry, the possibly insane creator of dub music; Linda Perry, singer-songwriter and unfortunate hat…
Keaton Prescott: Live From Tropical Storm Alex
Rocks Off was not happy to wake up Monday morning and find out that we would have to begin each day this week by tracking another potentially home-wrecking storm. Tropical Storm Alex is expected to cross through the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico and hit somewhere near the…
Where Are We Drinking?
La vie en rose…or at least en pink. Having a few cocktails at this upscale establishment always makes our outlook a little rosier for the day. Think you know where we’re drinking this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
The 4th Of July Is Coming: Break Out The Cameras And Win Prizes
The 4th of July is a holiday made for cameras, and we want to see your work.Take your best pictures showing the essence of the 4th — whether it’s a backyard barbecue, fireworks, or a drunk uncle knocking over lawn furniture — and upload them to the Houston Press Flickr…
Texas Has Fewer Inmates; What The Hell Are We Doing Wrong?
The U.S. Department of Justice recently released a report about state prison populations, and Texas was one of six states with large decreases in the number of people incarcerated. These numbers continue, the report says, “the trend of slower growth observed in the prison population since 2006.””Some of the decrease…
Textile Takes a Summer Vacation
With the news that popular pastry chef Plinio Sandalio plans to move to Austin to work with David Bull, it didn’t come as a huge surprise when I found out via text message late last night that Textile had closed its doors. What did come as a surprise was the…
What to Do with Crawfish Leftovers
It’s getting to the end of crawfish season, so we try to eat them as much as possible before they get too tough. Crawfish boils are awesome. No matter how hard you plan and how many people show up, there’s always leftovers…
Oreos v. Newman-O’s
What’s better, organic Newman-O’s, or non-organic Oreos? They look exactly the same — you have to get really close to see whether you’re eating a Newman-O or an Oreo. And I really can’t taste the difference, either. If you like to split your Oreos in half and lick the center…
Feds Fine Texas Over Food Stamps; Legal Aid Groups Say “We Told You So”
The federal government has levied a fine of almost $4 million against Texas for mishandling its food stamp program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the state made too many errors over the past two fiscal years.Those mistakes include both underpaying and overpaying recipients, so it all works out, right?…
Another Batch Of HPMA Nominee MP3s
Rocks Off is happy to report that our stockpile of MP3s by 2010 Houston Press Music Award nominees is growing by leaps and bounds. We now have enough to make several days of posts parceled out five or six nominees at a time, but we could always use some more…
Game Time: 2010 World Cup — I Am Darth Soccer
If ever there were a sporting event that was tailor-made for watching in a sports bar with a room full of diehard fans, it’s World Cup soccer.It’s the one sporting event that takes a pretty easily graspable concept for the casual fan (put ball in goal — and in the…
Meat Glory at the 3rd Annual BBQ Smackdown
Last Saturday was the third annual Houston Chowhound BBQ Smackdown, a hard-nosed, meat-a-rrific event that pits six area barbecue joints against one another in a blind tasting for pit-master glory. Eighty attendees once again filled the Pearl Bar on Washington to grab a slice of brisket and a rib from…
Little Joe Washington Continues To Improve
Rocks Off was heartened to hear that recovering bluesman Little Joe Washington’s health continues to improve following two surgeries for an obstructed bowel in the past month or so. Washington’s friend Reg Burns went to visit him Sunday evening at Quentin Mease Community Hospital (3601 N. MacGregor Way, 713-873-3700), where…
UPDATED: Meet The Rhodes Kids, Houston’s Mobbed-Up ’70s Family Band
UPDATE (April 10, 2014): According to a letter we received today from Gary Rhodes, currently a worship pastor in Waco, the Rhodes family had very little idea who they were really doing business with in the early ’70s. “We (including our parents) were totally unaware of any ties the record…
The Anachronistic Chef: Egg Cream
This is one in a series of posts in which I sample recipes from the days of yore (i.e., not the 1990s). The dishes featured were mainstays of 19th-, 18th- and even 17th-century tables, but for one reason or another (unusual taste, archaic ingredients), have fallen out of culinary fashion…
Mary Flood Moves From Chron To PR, May Keep A Chron Blog
Mary Flood, for years a legal-affairs reporter for the Houston Chronicle, has left the building at 801 Texas to go into public relations.She’ll be with Androvett Legal Media & Marketing, which prides itself on getting positive publicity for its clients: “In an era that is increasingly dominated by search engines…
Randall’s Fried Chicken
I have been eating a lot of Randall’s country fried chicken lately, and I have to say, it’s damn tasty. It might sound a little strange that a grocery store has really great chicken, but why not? If you get there relatively early in the afternoon when the guys are…
The Enduring Importance Of DJ Screw’s “June 27th”
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday (that isn’t a national holiday) Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Chalie Boy, Yung Redd and Hash Brown Not Invited: The guy from the Gear Slutz forum who tried…
Texas’ Environmental Agency & The Feds: This Week May Be Crucial
All eyes are on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality this week as its three commissioners will decide whether to grant an air permit to a proposed $3 billion petroleum coke-fired power plant in Corpus Christi.The Las Brisas Energy Center has been criticized by health and environmental advocates but heralded…
Weird Recipes from The Memphis Cookbook
In preparation for an upcoming visit to my hometown, I decided to crack open The Memphis Cookbook — yes, that’s really the name — published by The Junior League of Memphis (naturally) in 1952 and “updated” in 1980. Reading this cookbook was both horrifying and hilarious. We discovered some gems…
DJ Brandi Garcia Addresses Box Dismissal At Press Conference
As Rocks Off mentioned in last week’s Trae feature, DJ Brandi Garcia, long a fixture on the Houston airwaves and one of the city’s most beloved radio personalities, was recently fired from KBXX 97.9 FM, The Box. Though speculation was that she fired for playing a record that featured a…
KPFT Knocked Off Air — Not By The KKK This Time
Pacifica station KPFT-FM has been knocked off the air and may not be able to broadcast over the airwaves until tomorrow because of damage to its radio tower.Don’t blame the KKK this time. Blame copper thieves.A group of what KPFT general manager Duane Bradley calls “relatively well-organized but stupid people”…
Recipe: Caprese Salad
Caprese salad is simple and tasty, and perfect to put a dent in a sack of homegrown tomatoes. Preparation is simple but works best with high-quality, fresh ingredients. This is crucial — do not skimp…
Friday Night: Warsaw’s Grand Opening Less Than Grand
Grand Opening with CoRE, etc. The Warsaw June 25, 2010 The Warsaw’s grand opening on Friday night reminded Aftermath a lot of a trip to Super Happy Fun Land. On the one hand, some great bands took the stage and put on solid performances – Aftermath even bought a 500…
Texans’ Eric Winston Pinch-Hits For Sports Illustrated’s Peter King
Sports Illustrated’s Peter King is off covering the World Cup (because why the hell not?), so the publication has turned to some substitutes to keep up the popular NFL rumors/analysis column Monday Morning Quarterback.Today’s pinch-hitter: Houston Texan Eric Winston.The offensive lineman already blogs and twitters, so he’s not new to…
Saturday Night: Chicago & The Doobie Brothers At Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Chicago/The Doobie Brothers Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion June 26, 2010 At many classic rock shows, there’s no phrase more guaranteed to start a run on bathroom and beer lines than “And now here’s something from our new record.” But you know what? Classic Rock Bob wants to hear new material,…
Unidentified Male, 22, Bayou Body Count No. 160
An argument turned fatal in a neighborhood near the Johnson Space Center Sunday morning.An unidentified male went to a home in the 1900 block of Richvale about 9:40 a.m. to “confront” several people “about an earlier disturbance,” police say.The man, whose identity was not released pending notification of his family,…
Nigella Lawson’s Pain-Au-Chocolat Pudding, Pt. 1
I have to begin this recipe by telling you that the cookbook from which it came, Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess, is one of the coolest, most sensual, life-altering cookbooks I have ever encountered. Even the look of the book itself is sexy and different. The cover…
Last Night: The Eagles At Toyota Center
The Eagles Toyota Center June 27, 2010 For the past five years Aftermath has been told that we should hate the Eagles, but not why. Like a child, we would ask, and all we would hear from the pop-culture constabulary was “because they suck.” It’s like standing in a line…
World Cup 2010 — What’s The Future Look Like For Team America?
Now that the US has been eliminated from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it’s time to play a little Monday quarterback, futbol style.Even though the US won its group for the first time in this millennium, and even though they made it past the first round (this was the team’s…
Next Door’s Honeysuckle Rose
On a recent visit to Next Door (2020 Waugh Drive) a friend of mine mentioned that I wrote for EOW. Art Baez, the big, friendly bear of a bartender who’s always ready with a great shot and a quick remark, expressed lighthearted distress that someone from HP had come in…
True Blood: Elmore James, Vampire Grudge Sex Hurt Us Too
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood – which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. Season 3, Episode 3: “It…
The Week In TV: Futurama Lives!
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a summer of transcredible exploits. This was the week in TV Land: • Last week I asked what you watch during the summer, and the responses covered the bases for summer shows: Burn Notice, Leverage (really?), The Closer (really?!), sporting events,…
Friday Night: Sting At The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sting with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion June 25, 2010 “If you love somebody,” Sting once sang, “set them free.” Friday night at the Woodlands, he set a good two dozen of his songs free from their original arrangements, and set himself free from the burden…
Where Are We Eating?
When you really love boudin, you don’t really need anything else to go with it except some spicy white onions — raw, of course — and some snappy pickles. Does the link below look familiar to you? Think you know where we’re eating this week? Leave your best guess in…
Jen’s Ego Makes Staring At Twilight: Eclipse Less Painful
This Wednesday is the premiere of Eclipse, the third film in the four-part Twilight trilogy. Like many other husbands, boyfriends and the better half of lesbian relationships, Rocks Off will be dragged kicking and sober to the theatre in order to watch exactly how a love triangle between a vampire,…
World Cup: 25 Things An Outsider Learned
With the U.S. soccer team defeat to Ghana on Saturday, I thought I would note some things I noted from the World Cup this year.1. From my readings on the internet and twitter, it appeared that the U.S. soccer team was coached by Gary Kubiak. The team had bad first…
The Green Witch Will Be Flying at the Hobby; Wicked Returns
Donna Vivino was a green Jiminy Cricket when she was in third grade and she’ll be green again when she comes to Houston as Elphaba in Broadway Across America’s touring production of Wicked.The original young Cossette (Les Miserables) on Broadway as an eight-year-old, Vivino has been performing at high levels…
David Beale, Sarah Gish: Still Fighting For Houston’s History
There’s been some talk about how Houston has strengthened its historical-preservation ordinances, but — you know — it’s Houston. Ain’t too much strengthening going on.But it’s a never-ending battle, and if you want to join it, there’s a meeting tonight at the Mount Horeb Missionary Baptist Church, a historic church,…
World Cup 2010: USA-Ghana — Do You (No Longer) Believe In Miracles?
They did it once, they did it twice, even three times for awhile, but the US National Team failed to come from behind as they fell to Ghana 2-1 in overtime Saturday.For the third time in this tournament, the US fell behind from an early goal, having to chase that…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, the most adventurous food blog since Ernest Hemingway’s Tasty Things I’ve Shot.Com went under. We started the week off with a safari to the colorful and mysterious land of Montrose, and went ahead and picked out the ten best…
Justin Cronin’s Vampire Book Gets A Lift From The New York Times
Rice University professor and author Justin Cronin has entered the vampire craze with The Passage, a 766-page apocalyptic thriller involving bloodsuckers and those who fight them.It’s already been optioned for the movies, so financially the promotion-savvy Cronin hasn’t had much to worry about as publication neared. But the author of…
We Like The Eagles: Rocks Off’s Not-So-Secret Shame
The Eagles swoop into Toyota Center Sunday for what the omnipresent radio spots (if not the band itself) say could be their last tour, and Rocks Off has been thinking about them a lot lately. It started more than a month ago, when C3 announced the Eagles would headline/close this…
Sergio Luis Lima, 30, Bayou Body Count No. 159
An argument at a Telephone Road bar turned fatal early this morning.Sergio Luis Lima, 30, of Pasadena, was shot and pronounced dead at the scene after a car full of men fired into a bar in the 4600 blockk of Telephone Road following an argument about 3:50 a.m. today.Police say…
Tampa Bay Brewing Company
After last weeks lament that there aren’t any locally owned brewpubs in the fourth largest city in the country, I just so happened to find myself in Tampa, FL for a wedding. Where was the rehearsal dinner? At Tampa Bay Brewing Company of course. Started back in 1996 by the…
World Cup 2010: USA-Ghana — Five Keys To Look For
The images of Wednesday morning are still fresh on many people’s minds. The image of Landon Donovan putting the US ahead in the 91st minute against Algeria, putting the Americans back in the round of 16 for the first time since 2002.Their opponent on Saturday is Ghana, the team that…
How To Survive The Summer Concert Season
You may be saying, “Rocks Off, how can you guys be doing a summer concert tips blog when it’s almost July?” Well, imaginary naysayer who just had an imaginary conversation with us, here in Houston summer lasts until the trannies off Pacific Street start wearing two pairs of Spanx, which…
Cheap Breakfast: McDonald’s “Big Breakfast”
There are some things about the open road that induce cravings for fast food. Perhaps it’s the convenience, maybe the monotony, or just the excuse to indulge in greasy, sugary, salty foods, but McDonald’s always seems to make an appearance on my road food menu – especially for breakfast…
GAME TIME: NBA Draft: 8 Winners and 8 Losers
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2010 NBA Draft…” — David SternI’m not going to lie, those words give me a tingly feeling every year that I hear them. It never gets old — like reruns of The Sopanos or seeing that Bree Olson just tweeted, you just know that…
Local Spotlight: Katz Coffee
WHAT: Coffee with a conscience, roasted right here in Houston. When Avi Katz graduated from the University of Houston’s well regarded Hotel and Restaurant Management program, he had no idea what he wanted to do — but he did know that he didn’t want to move back to New York…
FAIL: Weezer, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, ASCAP
Weezer to Team Up with Ryan Adams: Set Expectations Bar to “Low”: Remember when Bryan Adams teamed up with Rod Stewart and Sting on that song “All For Love” on the Three Musketeers soundtrack? We bring it up not to once again give Ryan Adams shit about his name, but…
Sergio Guereca: Watch Out, America — Parents Of Kid Shot On Mexican Side Of Border Have Hired A Houston Personal-Injury Attorney
The June 7 shooting of 15-year-old Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca near El Paso became an internet sensation and has provoked demonstations against the U.S. Border Patrol.But the feds have no idea what’s hit them yet: The parents of the victim have hired a Houston personal-injury lawyer to represent them. A…
Riot At The Nail Salon: A City’s Shame
Hoa Nguyen had no idea what was in store for her when she opened her shop, Summit Nails Salon in Missouri City, Tuesday. Generally, salon owners do not face the same mortal threats of more dangerous occupations like soldier or Metro bus driver.But, according no Nguyen’s story, first broken by…
Health Dept. Roundup: Floor Routine
Health inspectors found serial offenders hard to nab this week, but we did the for you digging anyway on Health Department Roundup. At an unlucky Lucky Noodle House, (6609 W. Sam Houston Pkwy.), a June 23 change of ownership inspection yielded citations for storing containers of food within 6 inches…
Behind The Scenes Of Pale’s “Catastrophic Skies” Video
Moody Houston alt-rock band Pale premiered its video for “Catastrophic Skies,” a song that was once under serious consideration for one of the Twilight soundtracks, last week. David A. Cobb of Houston Calling was invited to the set and sent in this report… In late April, I got a call…
Craig Washington’s Shooting Targets Lose Their Victims’-Rights Case, Will Fight On
Debbie Brooks and Marti McAnulty, whose sons had been shot at by former U.S. Congressman Craig Washington last year, finally had their day in court on Wednesday, attempting to sue a Harris County prosecutor for violating their victims rights.The two mothers claim that Lynne Parsons of the DA’s office failed…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #14 Cassoulet at Feast
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
Looking for a Lover of Blogging and the Arts
The Houston Press is looking to fill its new position of Arts & Culture Editor. Applicants should be well versed in blogging, Twitter, and Facebook, have interest in and knowledge of the arts scene in Houston, and be able to write clearly, cleverly and with the ability to apply criticism…
Houston’s Hottest Chefs: The Complete Top 10
The readers have spoken and the winners have been crowned: Lisa Carnley of Calliope’s Po-Boys as Houston’s hottest female chef and Eric Aldis of Mo’s: A Place For Steaks as Houston’s Hottest male chef. But instead of clicking back through all the entries to see the complete list of all…
10 Commandments Vs. Car: God 1, Car 0
All you pansy atheistic liberals out there should learn a lesson from one bad Galveston driver.The driver, according to the Galveston County Daily News, mistook the throttle in her car for the brake (at, ummm, 2:48 in the morning Thursday). The 20-year-old woman was trying to make a turn through…
When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Metal Edition
Dave Chapelle teaches us that the art of “keeping it real” may sometimes go awry. According to urbandictionary.com, this occurs when “in the act of keeping it real, the outcome is unexpected and usually has a negative effect on the individual who decided to keep it real.” Rock stars are…
Houston’s Hottest Chefs: Eric Aldis
This past week, we’ve highlighted the winners in the second round of Houston’s Hottest Chefs: the men. We’ve taken a good, long look at Justin Basye, Ricky Craig, L.J. Wiley and Bryan Caswell. But the moment of truth has come. The people of Houston have spoken. Eric Aldis of Mo’s:…
Patrick Patterson & The NBA Draft: Pass The (Trade) Chips, Mr. Morey
The Rockets had what most analysts considered a strong draft on Thursday, but its true genius may take another week or two to see.No, former Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson isn’t likely to go to Toronto in any long-awaited Chris Bosh sign-and-trade orchestrated by resident genius GM Daryl Morey.If the Raptors…
Top 5 Booze Ads From The 80s
Earlier this week we looked at some of the most memorable fast food commercials from the 1980s. Now it’s time to charge your flux capacitors for a trip back to see some of the best and most sexually perverse booze ads the 80’s had to offer. 5. Bud Light: Spuds…
Jeremy Messersmith, Obsessed With Death In A Cheerful Way
With The Reluctant Graveyard, indie-pop singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith has crafted the most gorgeous, lush, and sunny record ever about death and dying. Corpses, organ donors, coffin salesmen, shot-down gangster doppelgangers, and zombies (both literally and the ’60s Colin Blunstone variety) populate the 11 tracks, all wrapped in lush harmonies, bright…
Z-Ro Smacks Out On Disappointing Heroin
So, here’s one for you: Z-Ro’s highly anticipated Heroin album, the junior LP in his line of drug-themed efforts, has apparently been released. No press release, no Twitter tweets, no radio spots, no nothing. It’s just out. You can cut that up any way you see fit, but it doesn’t…
Doug Glanville: A Book That’s Interesting But Superficial
Doug Glanville wasn’t the greatest player to ever play major league baseball. He lasted just nine seasons in the majors, playing for three teams, and getting only 1,100 hits. He was never exactly a household name. But unlike most of the people in the majors, Glanville was a college graduate…
Teri Meri Dosti, A Bollywood Glee Filmed In Missouri City, Debuts
One of Pakistan’s hottest actors is part of a new TV series that debuted this month — a series that was filmed in Missouri City.Featuring Houston actors and the estimable actor/model Imran Abbas, Teri Meri Dosti could be described as sort of a Bollywoodized Glee, or at least that’s what Nara…
Chef Chat, Part 3 – Michael Pellegrino of Max’s Wine Dive
In Chef Chats parts one and two, we talked with Max’s Wine Dive Chef Pellegrino about his creative contributions to the restaurant’s menu. Then we tried two of them. The Hungry-Max is a revisit to the grade-school cafeteria lines, with the items served in its nostalgic compartments changing depending on…
Naked Rock Band = Parenting WIN (Semi-SFW)
You know, as a person who spent ten years performing in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Rocks Off never thought he’d live to say this, but, “Put bloody some clothes on!” It’s daytime, and your kids are watching. They’re dressed! Do you know how hard it is to keep clothes…
Demetrie Dixon, Cop Accused Of Rape, Pins Hopes On His Winning Personality
The case of Demetrie Dixon moved forward this week when Dixon, accused of sexually assaulting two women while on duty as a Houston police officer, hired defense attorney Bill Stradley. “I think [Dixon] is going to make an excellent witness for himself,” Stradley told Hair Balls. “He’s got a great…
Tuaca Elaine Deason, Candidate For Worst Co-Worker Of The Year
We’ve never worked in a bank, but we assume that among the worst parts of the job would involve an armed robbery where the gunman grabs you around the neck and points a gun at your head.It must make matters worse when you later find out your co-worker, the person…
No Raises For HISD Employees (Updated)
Updated to indicate that state-mandated “step raises” will be included in the budget.There won’t be any raises for employees of the Houston ISD the next school year.Houston ISD trustees adopted a 2010-11 budget totaling $1.613 billion Thursday night that Chief Financial Officer Melinda Garrett termed a “survival” budget, adding that…
New iPhones Bring Madness To Memorial City Mall
Photos by Travis HensleyWaiting on an iPhoneSteve Jobs must be a happy man today. With the release of the new iPhone 4g he has customers lining up in the hundreds outside of stores.At the Memorial City Mall in Houston customers are finding themselves camping out inside the mall in two…
Meat The Maker: David Grossman’s Charcuterie at Branch Water Tavern
David Grossman, executive chef at Branch Water Tavern, looks far younger than his 31 years, even when manning the large stoves on the line and expediting food with steely determination. And when he starts talking excitedly about his favorite project at the restaurant — the in-house charcuterie program — his…
How About Some More HPMA Nominee MP3s?
Rocks Off would like to thank this year’s music award nominees who sent us a couple of MP3s like we asked you to a couple of days ago. By our count, about 11 nominees have now sent us some music, which leaves… well, a lot. We’re still a little afraid…
HPD Chief McClelland Understands “Frustration” Over Misdemeanor Beating Charges
At a news briefing earlier today, Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland appeared sympathetic to those in the community who are upset that the officers involved in the alleged beating of a handcuffed teenaged burglary suspect, which was caught on tape, were only charged with misdemeanors.In the end, though, the chief…
Happy Hour Scene: Bodega’s
The Place: Bodega’s Taco Shop1200 Binz St. 713-528-6102www.bodegastacoshop.comThe Hours: Monday through Friday 3-8 p.m.The Deals: Margaritas and draft beers, as well as some mixed drinks, are $1 cheaper than normal. The margaritas, for example, cost $3.75 during happy hour. The Scene: Bodega’s Taco Shop is kind of like a big…
What The Firk? Houston’s Firkin Fest Is This Weekend
What is a firkin? Well, it’s half a kilderkin. But its volume of measurement is not the point here. The relevant point is that a firkin is another name for a cask of ale. As in beer. Often, unusually excellent beer. So it is with great pleasure that we remind…
Game Time: NBA DRAFT — Worst Lottery Picks Of The Last 15 Years
As “must see” events on the sporting calendar go, the annual NBA Draft is highly underrated. If you ask the average sports fan his or her five most watchable sports nights of the year you’ll probably get canned answers like the Super Bowl, a Game 7 in the MLB or…
Robb Walsh’s 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #15 The Reuben at Kenny & Ziggy’s
Over the course of the next few months, I’m counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments…
Want To “Support The Scene”? Avoid Open-Mike Nights
Let Lonesome Onry and Mean see if we’ve got this straight. Because we’ve written an article about how bad an open-mike night at Salt Bar was, we are tearing down – or not supporting – the Houston music scene? Well, that’s bullshit. You want to know what’s wrong with the…
New Texas License Plates: The Burger Option
Those ever-inventive folks who have the Texas vanity-plate franchise are rolling out a new bunch of plates for people to consider.Like this one, for Mighty Fine Burgers, which is in Austin. We suggest you get these plates on your Ford F-150 before you pull up to the valet at La…
Shannon Walker, Westbury Astronaut: Bang, You Big Jerk, You’re In Space
This is how the Houston Chronicle treats the first homegrown astronaut? We’re appalled. Frankly…
New Texas License Plates: The Burger Option
Those ever-inventive folks who have the Texas vanity-plate franchise are rolling out a new bunch of plates for people to consider.Like this one, for Mighty Fine Burgers, which is in Austin. We suggest you get these plates on your Ford F-150 before you pull up to the valet at La…
Five Easy Food Swaps That Help Trim Pounds
If your regular food selections are leaving you feeling less than thin and sexy in this unrelenting heat, you’re not the only one. Summer months generally mean less clothing which in turn means more exposed skin which means we better actually give some thought to what we’re putting in our…
The Day Michael Jackson Died: A Look Back
One year ago tomorrow, one of the strangest, most volatile lives in American pop-culture history came to an end. Michael Jackson left this mortal coil on June 25, 2009, and in his wake we were left to not only deal with all of our conflicted and cherished memories of him,…
Texas GOP: Thou Shalt Not Go Down On Your Husband, Wife Or Significant Other
The Texas GOP wrapped up their state convention recently, and adopted a platform that includes the usual stuff about Speak English, Dammit, about showing the Ten Commandments in public schools, and all the other hot-button issues they like to push.One thing they don’t like: Oral sex.”We demand that Congress exercise…
Five to Try: Interactive Meals
Most of us love to get our hands dirty — participate, get involved, jump right in — even where food is concerned. Perhaps that explains our love of fajita builds, Bloody Mary bars, and all-you-eat buffets. Here are a few options for interactive meals around town: places that get you…
Rap Goes To College: 5 More Possible Hip-Hop Professors
Rice University just got a lot more… trill. Never thought you’d hear those words in the same sentence? Yeah, us too. But as hiphopdx.com reports, you just might be seeing a lot more “Diamonds and Wood” and “Front, Back & Side to Side” in the Rice University parking lot. That’s…
Magistrate Stephen Smith: The Feds Do A Lot Of Secret Spying On Citizens
A Houston federal magistrate testified to Congress today about just how much secret surveillance the government is doing on your cell phone and other such devices.Stephen Smith’s prepared testimony says that Houston federal judges from 1995 to 2007 issued 325 “electronic surveillance orders” a year, in hearings where only the…
The 5 Greatest Discontinued Desserts
For people who have an unhealthy relationship with food, dessert is an extremely important part of the meal. It’s the sweet reward for struggling through all the harsh, bitter flavors of entrees like chicken fried steak, pizza, prime rib, hamburgers, stuffed pork chops, and other disgusting stuff. Our brains no…
Sting’s 4 Douchiest Moments, And How He Made Up For Them
This article was originally simply supposed to be “Sting’s 4 Douchiest Moments,” but while researching it, a funny thing happened. Rocks Off started to notice that, for every time Sting did something that made us cringe, he’d also done something that made us like him again. We were torn; we…
Sonia Sotomayor Critiques The Chronicle
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Enron honcho Jeffrey Skilling’s trial should not have been moved out of Houston, no matter what he thinks. (Skilling did better on other arguments, but overall nothing much changed.)Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the view that Houston could hold a fair trial, and offered…
Remember Crime Boss’ All In The Game?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Crime Boss All In the Game (Suave House, 1995) Crime Boss was Suave House Records’ most vinegar-voiced, bullet-strong MC;…
Houston’s Hottest Chefs: Bryan Caswell
Whether you think he is actually hot or not, there are few chefs (heck, people!) who elicit a passionate response like Bryan Caswell. Love him or hate him, the Reef, Little Big’s and Stella Sola boss was a Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef” and has even walked a…
Lance Reyna: Assaulted In An HCC Bathroom Because He’s Transgendered
Gay rights groups are decrying the assault of Lance Reyna, an activist for gay and transgendered rights, in a Houston Community College bathroom.Houston GLBT Community Center president Tim Brookover said “The Center condemns this attack against a member of our community.”Their description of the event:On June 22, at 1:40 p.m.,…
The 10 Best Musical Rejections
We’ve all been there. You’ve just finished pouring your heart out to the object of your affections, and instead of reciprocating, s/he says “thanks, but no thanks.” If you’re lucky. Monday, CNN interviewed life.com editor Bill Shapiro, whose recent book Other People’s Rejection Letters compiles dozens of business and personal…
The Island Grill and Juice Bar
We walked into The Island Grill and Juice Bar (4024 Bellaire Blvd, 713-665-5388) with our extremely hungry dining companion and immediately ordered a cheeseburger to split, fries and a salad. It was our first visit here…
Slim Thug At House Of Blues, Twitter Edition
Wednesday, freshly shorn Houston rapper Slim Thug already had the Twitterverse buzzing about his attempted clarification of a recent blog – which he now claims was a phone interview for VIBE – that got him into hot water due to some comments about dating white women vs. black women. Then…
UH’s James Dickey, Todd Buchanan: Dying To Coach But Can’t Right Now
Due to NCAA regulations, coaches aren’t allowed to work with their players and recruits during the summer. I’ve always found this kind of strange since coaches are coaches, and there are lots of college athletes on campus during the summer taking classes and working out with the strength-and-conditioning coaches, which…
The Jerk Store Called: They’re Running Out Of Lady Gaga
In the annals of epic combat, the likes of Montgomery vs. Rommel and Grant vs. Lee will pale next to the scorched earth warfare taking place between comedian Jerry Seinfeld and “Bad Romance” chanteuse Lady Gaga: Seinfeld was linked to Lady Gaga on June 10, when the singer was escorted…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Michael Pellegrino of Max’s Wine Dive
We continue our discussion with Chef Pellegrino, learning about how he creates new concoctions for the menu at Max’s Wine Dive. Eating Our Words: Now that Max’s offers more creative fare on the right side of the menu, how do you go about creating dishes for this side of the…
How To Be Goth In Six Easy Steps
Greetings comrades in glorious mainstream revolution! For your re-education and orientation, today we show a promotional music video to illustrate best way to separate pig capitalist of sub-culture codename: Goth from their babysitting money. Performers in video Black Veil Brides, song is “Perfect Weapon,” off debut album We Stitch These…
Jose Alejandro Romero: Austin Teen Tries To Rob Gas Station With Caulk Gun, Fails
Oh Austin. Must your efforts to keep weird extend even to armed robberies?Apparently so. Last week, A-Town cops issued a warrant for Jose Alejandro Romero, a 17-year-old man who stands accused of injuring a gas station attendant while attempting to rob him with a caulk gun. And just for that…
KIPP Third-Graders: Downs and Ups
Well as soon as the report arrived the other day saying KIPP is doing a bang up job with middle schoolers, its critics have come out of the woodwork, striking increasingly louder notes of concern.As Hair Balls noted earlier in the week KIPP does benefit from the fact that it…
Lone Star Lyric Theater Festival
The days of radio story hours may be long gone, but don’t tell that to Kelli Estes, artistic director of Lone Star Lyric Theater Festival. She’s put together her own old-fashioned radio show, complete with sound effects. The production is really two shows in one. First, there’s Estes’s own frame…
Extremely Shorts Film Festival
Wasteland, a stop-action-animated film by Kathleen Quillian, takes audiences from the farm to the grocery store, examining how the food-production industry affects our health. Blink and you might miss it, though – the film is just three minutes long. It’s showing as part of the 13th installment of Aurora Picture…
René Saldaña Jr.: The Case of the Pen Gone Missing, A Mickey Rangel Mystery
Children’s author René Saldaña Jr. has added a new character to his writings – Mickey Rangel. A Hispanic kid with lots of curiosity and courage, Rangel is a boy detective in the tradition of The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and, more recently, Veronica Mars. But Rangel has all the contemporary…
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Whether you’re on Team Jacob, Team Edward or Team-I-Don’t-Know-Why-This-Is-So-Freaking-Popular, get ready for your first look at Eclipse, the latest film in the Twilight Saga series, at today’s midnight screening. The movie kicks off as the Cullen family joins forces with the wolf pack to defeat an army of newborn vampires…
Hunter Gatherers
Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s Hunter Gatherers is a black-as-tar comedy that pits civilized behavior against the animal within. Two couples, with enough dysfunction in their respective trendy closets to overwhelm even Dr. Phil, meet for their annual wedding anniversary dinner. That there’s a live lamb bleating plaintively in a cardboard box…
Aesop’s Fables
The creative folks at Mildred’s Umbrella, known for their cutting-edge stage productions, are going after a younger audience with their production of Aesop’s Fables currently touring Houston public libraries. Since it’s being mounted by Mildred’s Umbrella, kids can expect a few twists in the story. 2 p.m. Johnson Library, 3517…
Artist Talk and Slideshow with Ron Regé, Jr.
Like many successful comic book artists, Ron Regé, Jr. is used to giving slideshow-powered readings to the public. Also like his cohorts, Regé isn’t sure that’s the best way to present his work to fans. The artist behind The Cartoon Utopia, an ongoing series of comics about a futuristic world,…
West Side Story
It started with Shakespeare’s tragic tale of a young couple in love. Then, in the very capable hands of Broadway giants Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, 14th-century Italy became 1950s New York City and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet became West Side Story. The musical has become a staple of the…
Tiger Weekend
While most of the animal attractions at the Downtown Aquarium are decidedly, well, aquatic, the furry charms of the attraction’s stable of white tigers (Nero, Marina, Coral and Reef for those of you keeping score) attract quite a few fans as well. The rare beasts will get their own time…
Wicked
In The Wizard of Oz everyone is thinking about Dorothy. But Stephen Schwartz’s and Winnie Holzman’s award-winning Broadway musical Wicked shows us that the folks in Oz couldn’t have cared less about some pipsqueak from Kansas. In the hugely successful 2003 musical retelling of the Oz story, the central characters…
Gone with the Pope
Absurd sex and violence, over-the-top antihero gangsters, a distinct ’70s style and a plot to kidnap the man whom Catholics believe to be God’s ambassador on Earth and extort a dollar from each of the faithful – Gone with the Pope is perhaps the greatest film ever envisioned. (Okay, not…
We (Love) Jeff Bridges Film Festival: Crazy Heart
Today you’ll see the film that won Jeff Bridges the Academy Award earlier this year. Crazy Heart features Bridges as rundown country-western singer Bad Blake. The movie also features the Academy Award-winning song “The Weary Kind” by Ryan Bingham. 7 p.m. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet. For information,…
Poison Pen Reading Series: Sandy Tseng
The opening lines of Sandy Tseng’s poem “City View” capture the essence of her collection Sediment (2009). “In the window where the city is contained, / where rain collects along the edges like words moving over the tongue, / the space between two people narrow and widen / and narrow…
Sex, Okra and Salted Butter
Sex, Okra and Salted Butter might sound like a nymphomaniac’s grocery list, but it’s also a film being screened as part of the Contemporary African Cinema series at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The movie focuses on an African family and the unpredictable struggles that they face when they…
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles Feast
The dark, sexy film about fangers, Interview with a Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, seemed doomed from the start. First, author Anne Rice loudly objected to the casting of Tom Cruise as the lead. Then Oprah left the theater during a pre-release screening – telling her television audience something about how…
The Laramie Project
Young college student Matthew Shepard, who happened to be gay, doesn’t appear in The Laramie Project, but he infuses every scene with his haunting absence. One month after Shepard’s brutal 1998 killing in Laramie, Wyoming, theater impresario and playwright Moises Kaufman took his Tectonic Theater Project actors and descended upon…
Houston LGBT Pride Parade
The annual Houston LGBT Pride Parade (this year’s theme: “Pride, Not Prejudice”) will be the 32nd incarnation of the yearly celebration. More than 100,000 spectators of all stripes are expected to crowd into the lower Westheimer area, where revelers jockey good-naturedly for beads, condoms and other prizes as the party…
The World Cup Soccer Final: Netherlands vs. Spain
With Sunday’s Final pitting the Netherlands against Spain, there will be a new country’s name joining the seven already engraved on the bottom of the FIFA World Cut Trophy. While this year’s edition of the quadrennial tournament is the 19th, there are only eight nations who have won soccer’s biggest…
“Neopopstreetfunk II”
“Neopopstreetfunk II” surveys sprouting underground artists, again. The group exhibit – now enjoying its second year – showcases Houstonians (and a couple of out-of-towners) known for their unique, urban styles. “They’re not landscape painters, you know?” says organizer Nicky Davis, who adds that the artists are influenced by one or…
Linda Castillo: Pray for Silence
For most readers, the words “Amish crime thriller” might not inspire a mad dash to the bookstore, but the unique formula has worked well for Texan author Linda Castillo, whose latest crime novel, Pray for Silence, is hardly staid stuff. The first book in the series, Sworn to Silence, introduced…
“Wind-Up: Walking the Warp”
Anne Wilson’s Wind-Up: Walking the Warp is the only work of art we’re aware of that combines aspects of sewing and dance. For today’s performance of Wind-Up at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Chicago-based Wilson, with help from Houston dance ensemble Hope Stone Dance, will weave 40 yards of…
Knight in Verbal Armor
You know and love Jason Bourne as an implacable killing machine. But what if he were a mouthy asshole instead? That’s the provocative question posed by James Mangold’s Knight and Day, which casts Tom Cruise as a Bourne wannabe who seriously can’t shut up. As Roy Miller, an agent gone…
Into the Jungle
Okay, we’re just going to say this once: At the last Jungle Rockers gig, among a crowd of fetish models, Bettie Page look-alikes and half the Houston Blues Society, we saw a woman in a little black dress, red cowboy boots and spurs. Real spurs. Dig it? Yes, these rockin’…
Into the Woods
“Never ask for what ought to be offered,” 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) tells her little brother in Winter’s Bone, Debra Granik’s dark and flinty Ozark fairy tale. Those are words to live by for Ree and her people, scattered across the hardscrabble crooks and hollers of the southern Missouri…
La Gran Senora
Jenni Rivera is one of the most popular singers, male or female, in regional Mexican music. She’s carved out a unique niche for herself by specializing in banda, a genre dominated by all-male ensembles like Banda el Recodo or Banda Machos. She frequently branches out into norteño and even pop,…
The Case of Blue October
The Case of Blue October Many readers wrote us letters and commented online about “Little Boy Blue,” by John Lomax, June 3, 2010: Interesting: Well-researched, well-written article. I would in general rather stab my own eyes out than listen to Blue October, but if it were my cup of tea,…
Sting & the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Platinum albums, screaming fans and three decades’ worth of critical and popular acclaim are nothing compared to a show accompanied by an honest-to-God Royal Philharmonic. Of course, Sting’s entire career has been on a trajectory to play “black tie and tails” shows just like this, full of pomp and circumstance,…
The Joan Rivers Show
“Everyone thinks they know Joan Rivers. And they do. They know part of her persona and her performances, but they don’t know Joan Rivers.” Filmmaker Ricki Stern is talking about the documentary she co-directed with Annie Sundberg called Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, a frank look at the cracks…
Dead Meadow
If the mystical and biblical imagery in Dead Meadow’s new concert film and accompanying soundtrack doesn’t get your Led Zeppelin-loving heart racing, then you must be made of stone. Mixing live footage of the Washington, D.C.-based band’s show with clips full of smoke, cloaks and automatic weapons, Three Kings is…
Jordin Sparks
Given the goody-goody image she cultivated on American Idol, Jordin Sparks seemed an unlikely candidate to sell a song like “Battlefield,” the title track from her 2009 sophomore disc. Last time we caught her, though, she came on way stronger than expected, making the Jonas Brothers (for whom she was…
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
You may remember Big Bad Voodoo Daddy from the late ’90s swing craze and the man-bible flick Swingers. For the uninitiated, the band was one of the most popular nouveau-swing bands of that era, standing right next to Royal Crown Revue, the Brian Setzer Orchestra and Cherry Poppin’ Daddies on…
Forty and Not So Fabulous
For a gallery that consistently delivers compelling shows and boasts a stable of heavy-hitting artists, Texas Gallery’s 40th birthday party should arrive as a spectacle of works representative of its reputation. Instead, the gallery delivers a sprawling, unfocused and even boring mess of a show that feels more like closet-cleaning…
Getting Old Isn’t for Sissies
Opening with a close-up of the crow’s feet around its subject’s eyes and expanding to reveal her Botox-frozen upper lip, the documentary-portrait Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work celebrates Saint Joan the Resilient, Showbiz Survivor. Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg dogged the indomitable stand-up comic throughout the course of her…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Claire Ankenman: Phase,” “Daniel Heimbinder: Story,” “Maurizio Cattelan,” “Steve Wolfe on Paper,” “The White Album”
“Claire Ankenman: Phase” Claire Ankenman makes intriguing mixed-media works that probe the question “What am I looking at?” Her previous show at Moody Gallery, “Slices,” was a literally penetrating series that examined the effects of cutting different surfaces and materials, and the wound-like inflictions that resulted. Here, she experiments with…
Hate Mail
Dear Mexican, Why do the Mexicans HATE American soccer and “hate” (bolded, underlined and italicized) Landon Donovan? Uncle Sam’s Army Brat Dear Gabacho, Because Mexicans hate Americans — DUH! Geez, this is the literary equivalent of taking a penalty kick at this year’s FIFA World Cup with no goaltender —…
Capsule Stage Reviews: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, A Life in the Theatre/Tuesdays with Morrie, Always…Patsy Cline, Boeing-Boeing, The Complete History of America (Abridged), Cuckoos
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Celebrating the nerd in all her native glory, Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn’s 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a happy musical. The Tony Award-winning show tells the story of a sweet group of youngsters (all played by grownups) who have a variety…
Agent Orange
Agent Orange has been riding the surf-punk wave since 1979’s Bloodstains EP release and has helped mold countless minds in Southern California for almost 30 years now. The influence of the band’s pit-ready punk jams can be heard in modern groups like The Offspring and Pennywise, both of whom came…
Emancipation Proclamation
As unrepentantly grandiose and ludicrous as its title, Luca Guadagnino’s visually ravishing third feature I Am Love suggests an epic that Visconti and Sirk might have made after they finished watching Vertigo and reading Madame Bovary while gorging themselves on aphrodisiacs. That it works so well — despite frequently risible…
Strip Mall Hopping
In the triangle formed by Bellaire, Bissonnet and the Southwest Freeway, there are approximately one million restaurants. Several new eateries have opened up in the strip mall at 5800 Bellaire, and since I am always looking for the next great thing, I decide to try a few: sushi and ceviche…
What Happened?
POLITICAL ANIMALS, EDUCATION What Happened? HISD head, councilmember get crosswise By Richard Connelly Rumors are flying about some type of altercation between Houston school Superintendent Terry Grier and City Councilmember Melissa Noriega. One version of the tale making the rounds is that Noriega was driving in front of Grier as…
Bella Italiano
Faisal Hussein and his partner Bill Nakanishi recently opened Bella Italiano (14642 Memorial, 281-493-2903), where Tokyo Steakhouse used to be, on Memorial at Dairy Ashford. Nakanishi also owns Sushi Jin next door, and Hussein owned another Italian restaurant called Capriccio. “We specialize in seafood and pasta and we make everything…
Out of the Box
July 22, 2009 was the second annual Trae Day, a day devoted to honoring Trae tha Truth, one of Houston’s own rappers, known as much for his philanthropic efforts as for the menace in his lyrics. It was started the year before by then Mayor Bill White and the City…
So Much Meat
Saldivia’s South American Grill (10234 Westheimer, 713-782-9494) comes with so much meat, even two people will have a hard time finishing it. The meat arrives on a sizzling platter the way fajitas are served, but instead it’s the Uruguayan specialty steak known as entraña, along with two sausages, chorizo, morcilla…
Athlete, Carney
The nice-boy Brits in Athlete put out a couple of cool records in the early ’00s that expertly combined Coldplay-style melodrama with Blur-like pop smarts; their latest, last year’s Black Swan, is handsome but kind of humdrum. The dude who fronts L.A.-based openers Carney is playing the title role in…
Onion Creek’s Gin Rickey
The first time I got drunk at a bar was at Fitzgerald’s in the Heights. Many years later, I’m sitting at a picnic table and drinking a Gin Rickey down the block at Onion Creek (3106 White Oak Dr., 713-880-0706), thinking about how things are different now. Mainly, I’m not…
