Community Shows Video of Fort Bend Deputy Shooting Man to Death
Quannel X and family members of Michael Blair call Blair’s death an “execution.”Newly released footage shows a Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy firing eight rounds into the head of a mentally ill man laying on his bathroom floor in November 2013, according to community activist Quannel X. The minister said…
Bernie Tiede’s Past as a Sex Abuse Victim Considered in Ending Prison Sentence
We’re assuming sales or rentals of the movie Bernie are getting a bump this week. Tuesday, Bernie Tiede, the movie’s namesake and convicted East Texas killer of an old lady, was released from his life sentence. And in a Hollywood plot twist if there ever was one, a condition of…
FPSF Brings Back Preview Breakfast Pairing Music and Food
Take a look at the elaborate still lifes in any museum, and it will be clear that food and art go hand-in-hand. Paintings of dining scenes abound. Films and plays take place around the dinner table or use food as a plot device through which to move the action. Literature…
Happy 65th Anniversary, Three Brothers Bakery
Three Brothers Bakery will turn 65 years old on Thursday, May 8. To celebrate this milestone, the local bakery will hold an anniversary party at the Braeswood location beginning at 10 a.m. The celebration will feature cake, sweets and a big surprise — one of the bakery’s traditional treats will…
Jones High School Repurposing Sparks Legal Fight With NAACP
Do you remember how things got really ugly at an HISD meeting in March? Well, the Houston branch of the NAACP is taking up the fight started at that meeting, after it was announced that Jones High School was being turned into a vocational academy. According to KTRK, James Douglas,…
Reality Bites: Property Brothers
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. The runaway popularity of home improvement shows in recent years speaks to two realities in America today. First, people appear to be far more interested in renovating existing properties, whether…
Paper Co. Coffee: Where Have You Been All My Life?
It’s no secret that I love coffee. The second a new coffee shop (or coffee truck) opens, I’m all over it. Although Houston has many many places to grab a traditional espresso-based drink, or a creative concoction with a variety of syrups, no two are the same. Each shop has…
Podcast: The James Franco of Old Returns in the Timeless Palo Alto
On this week’s Voice Film club podcast, L.A. Weekly chief film critic Amy Nicholson, Village Voice film critic ‘Stephanie Zacharek and Voice film editor Alan Scherstuhl discuss two movies opening this weekend, including the James Franco’d Palo Alto, which we fully recommend, and the latest version of the West Memphis…
Game Show Follies: Family Feud Contestant in Epic Fast Money Round Failure
Apparently, other game shows were getting tired of Wheel of Fortune getting all the attention in the dumb-ass community. For here comes Family Feud. In an NFL game, you never celebrate until the final gun has sounded. In baseball, you never celebrate until you’ve recorded the final out. In professional…
How To: Get, Plant & Grow Your Own Lime Trees in Houston
What’s the best solution to avoiding rising prices of any produce? Grow it yourself. Fortunately, the Houston area and climate is perfect for growing citrus, especially limes. Unfortunately, if you plant a lime tree now it won’t produce fruit until next year. But, just in case another lime crisis happens…
Rachel Brown Accuses Her Attorneys of Ripping Her off
Michael “I Hope There’s Tons of Cocaine in Heaven” Brown’s widow, Rachel Brown, has sued three of her attorneys, accusing them of looking out for their own financial interests instead of protecting hers. Filed March 31 in Harris County District Court, the suit accuses David Brown (no relation), Jed Moffett…
This Week in Food Blogs: Trendy Toast & Vegan Bibimbap Bowls
The New Yorker: Toast is something anyone can make. But, it might be one of the newest food trends. Hannah Goldfield explains that this trend of restaurants serving “artisanal toast” began in San Francisco. Although some believe that it is a joke for chefs to create dishes like avocado toast…
Heartbreak House: Self-Absorption as the Bombs Start to Fall
It’s 1914 and England is in on the start of the first World War. Not so that you’d especially notice that in the household of Captain Shotover where his daughter Hesione Hushabye is hosting a dinner party. Guests include Ellie Dunn, who is engaged to one man but in love…
Congrats to Anita Perry, But Here Are Four Other Women Who Shouldn’t Be Inducted in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame
The Texas Women’s Hall of Fame has a few new members, and of the nine selected by Gov. Rick Perry this week, we couldn’t help but notice that one of them just so happens to be his wife. Yes, First Lady Anita Perry has been doing the whole First Lady…
Three Reasons to Try Air Repair Skincare
It’s been over a year since I first signed up for Birchbox, a makeup and beauty subscription service that delivers a box of fun-sized products to my mailbox once a month. There have been some big hits (hello, Liz Earle) and a few misses (perfume samples = terrible), but the…
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 5/6/2014
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion May 6, 2014 It’s fitting that the rooflike shelter hanging above the seats at the Woodlands Pavilion is shaped in a tent spire. Because no one has ever merged the concepts of rock and roll show and religious tent…
Rest of the Best: 10 Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Houston
Our 2013 Best of Houston® winners have been announced, but in many cases, picking the best item in any category was no easy task. In order to show off all the culinary greatness Houston has to offer, we’re rounding up the “rest of the best” in some of our favorite…
This WWE Tribute to “Stone Crusher” Connor Michalek Might Make You Cry
You can criticize WWE for a lot of things, but when they do things right, there are very few entities in sports or entertainment (or sports entertainment) that are better. When it comes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, WWE is one of the most active organizations in sports, granting numerous wishes…
100 Creatives 2014: Jordan Simpson, SLAM Poet
Experience as a percussionist has helped Jordan Simpson to perform as a SLAM poet. He tells us, “Understanding beats and rhythms really helps me on stage as a poet, in that I can build up to a [climax] and I understand [chapters and verses], the structure of a poem.” The…
Every Saturday Afternoon Is Chai Time at Kiran’s
Chef Kiran Verma isn’t convinced that Indian tea time came to the country with its British colonists. “You all were rich, so you were drinking gin and tonic,” she says, laughing. “We were the poor Indians who were slaving and having chai.” It’s not clear if the British introduced afternoon…
Comcastic: Having the Xfinity X1 Installed and Living to Tell About It
I have Comcast at my house. I know, I know. It wasn’t my first choice, but it was all I could have at my previous abode and I like CSN Houston. Plus, I’m a masochist. For the most part, my Comcast service has been solid since I bought a new…
First Look at Bradley’s Fine Diner
It’s clear when you walk into Bradley’s Fine Diner, the new concept by James Beard award-winning chef Bradley Ogden, that his team — helmed by Bryan Ogden, Bradley’s son — know what they are doing. It doesn’t matter that the restaurant occupies the corner of an unassuming strip mall just…
5 Reasons Someone Needs to Film a Zombie Movie in the Houston Medical Center
My wife just finished up her nursing school education, which means that she spent a fair amount of time in the Houston Medical Center. Having dropped her off at school on a number of occasions, I am here to literally beg Hollywood to descend on our city and film the…
The Deep Roots of Houston House Music
About six weeks ago, I met with some notable figures to get the real story of Houston’s house-music scene. And, as I’ve learned since the first half of this blog ran, still others are waiting to tell their stories and fill in the blanks even this trio of respected artists…
The Five Best Things to Know When Choosing a Stage Name
Hello, my name is Jef Rouner, but I’ve been going by the name of Jef With One F on various Houston stages and in publications since I was 14 years old. It’s a pretty good handle that I was happy enough with until a freakin’ Bachelorette contestant starting using it…
New Doc Explores the Clash’s Dismal End Times
The Rise and Fall of the Clash Directed by Danny Garcia Shout! Factory, 90 mins., $13.98 In the interest of truth in titling, the “Rise” in this DVD could have been eliminated, as this rock doc details the ramshackle demise of “the only band that mattered.” And to that end,…
The 20 Best Songs We Heard In April
“A House Is a Home,” Ben & Ellen Harper Grammy winner Ben Harper teams up with his mother, Ellen, for Childhood Home, which releases this week. This is the first single from the album. Their tender harmonies and reflections here are like flipping through a family photo album, reminding us…
Investigators Are Looking Into Details of Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting
Houston police are saying that the man who one of their officers allegedly shot dead Monday afternoon pointed a gun at the officer just after the suspect was attempting to jump a wooden fence to escape. The shooting by the 7-year HPD veteran is under investigation. The incident began Monday…
Does It Matter That Houston’s Not on List of Eight Cities That Ban Smoking in Public Parks?
There are eight big cities in the U.S. that ban smoking in public parks, and Houston isn’t one of them. Sure, it’s okay to smoke in a public park here (not in Dallas, however), as long as it’s not a situation where everyone is sitting down for a concert or…
Recipe: Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am not of the camp that believes bacon makes everything better. A fried egg, maybe. Avocado, usually. Cheese, most definitely. But bacon? I find its addition usually unpleasantly doubles a food’s salt factor. When the food in question, however, is predominantly sugary, then some contrasting flavors of fat and…
Woman, 60, Recovering After Being Struck by Downtown Light Rail
A 60-year-old woman is in stable condition after being struck by a Metro light rail train early this morning. The woman, whose name hasn’t been released, is recovering at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Reports said she was unconscious and breathing at the time of the incident. The crash occurred early this…
Breaking: Watching Movies Can Give You Unrealistic Expectations About the Real World
I’ve been a horror movie fan since I was old enough to sneak into the living room and turn on the TV after my parents were asleep. I used to keep myself up nights imagining vampires lurking just out of sight in my closet, or that hungry reptiles lived beneath…
Sautéed Napa [Cabbage] With Dried Shrimp at O’Yeah Cafe
I went to O’Yeah Cafe on a tip from a friend who said the restaurant had a strong following of Chinese expats living in the West University and Kirby neighborhoods. While most Houston restaurants serving authentic Chinese food as well as some of the country’s more unusual regional dishes are…
Jameis Winston’s “Great Crab Leg Caper” Police Report Released
As the 2014 NFL Draft rolls up on us this Thursday, one of the top prospects for next year’s draft continues to chip away at his draft stock brick by brick, through sheer stupidity, if nothing else. Last week came news that 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, apparently famished,…
Debra L. Rothenberg, The Woman Who Shot Bruce Springsteen
It’s a bit of a Cinderella story — a young woman, in love with Bruce Springsteen’s music as a teen, takes several photographs of her idol in concert. A little while later, a magazine asks to use one for a story it’s publishing. It was the start of a wildly…
Cookbook Review: Everything a Man Needs to Know About Cooking But Was Afraid to Ask
There are a number of cookbooks out there catering to male sensibilities. Daniel Duane’s How to Cook Like a Man is part memoir, part instruction manual. Then there’s simply Cook Like A Man: The Ultimate Cookbook for the Modern Gentleman, Esquire Magazine’s Eat Like a Man, The Stag Cook Book…
Husband Runs Over Wife With ATV, Wife Lives to Ask, “What’s Wrong With You?”
There are plenty of opportunities on the calendar to show your significant other that you care. You have birthdays, you have anniversaries, you have Christmas (or whatever December gift-giving holiday you might celebrate). Hell, Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend! (Yes, this serves as a reminder, and also as…
Charlotte Smith: Paint Rhetoric Celebrates Composition Over Narrative
In Charlotte Smith: Paint Rhetoric the artist’s paintings to a large extent use the same materials for each, but the color variations are vast, with each painting singing a different siren sing. They seem to have in common that they are invitations, formal ones, telling the viewer what kind of…
100 Favorite Dishes 2014-15: No. 100, Fish Bánh Mì at La Baguette
Once again, Kaitlin Steinberg is eating her way through Houston and counting down her 100 favorite dishes as we work our way toward our annual Menu of Menus® issue and culinary extravaganza. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most delicious, most creative and, of course,…
Oil Tech Conference Reportedly Boosts Local Sex Industry
Of course you already know about the energy boom that’s generated so much for Houston, but what about the booty boom? This week the Comic Con of the oil and gas industry, the Offshore Technology Conference, comes to town and with it there’s an alleged bump in business for pimps…
Pop Rocks: The Most Interesting 2014 Summer Blockbusters (No Sequels or Remakes Allowed)
The rules for summer blockbusters are pretty simple. These films must be big in scope and be expected to do well at the box office. That normally means lots of space, CGI, superheroes, name celebrities and millions of dollars. The summer of 2014 appears to be about the same as…
Bartender Chat: Sean Beck of Caracol on Keeping Things Fresh and Seasonal
Welcome to Eating…Our Words’ Bartender Chat, in which we sit down with local bartenders and get to know their style. Whether they’re slinging beers or mixing complex cocktails, bartenders are our buddies and confidants, but we’re turning the tables and the camera on them to find out what they’re passionate…
The Rocks Off 200: Tony Vega, the Big Easy’s Barnburner
Welcome to The Rocks Off 200, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See the original Rocks Off 100 at this link. A guitar-playing older brother with…
How To: Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Two of my favorite desserts are ice cream on a cone and cupcakes. Both are my own personal treats, one having the perfect ratio of frosting to cake, and the other providing a balance of creaminess and crunchiness. I’m the type of person who is always looking for a new…
Dust Off the Tiara, BVLGARI: 130 Years of Masterpieces Exhibit Opens at HMNS
Bulgari, in partnership with the Houston Museum of Natural Science, has debuted BVLGARI: 130 Years of Masterpieces. The one of a kind showcase of Bulgari pieces from the early days of founder Sotirio Bulgari to the modern era will run through to October 5…
Corruption in Texas Is Like a Cockroach Infestation
Everything is bigger in Texas and corruption is no exception. Fraud, bribery, exploitation and plain old dishonesty are getting to be like a severe Texas case of cockroaches. For every one you see in the daylight, there are 800 or so hiding in the darkness. Cockroaches prefer the darkness and…
Chris Shepherd of Underbelly Wins James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest
It’s about damn time. It’s been 22 years since a Houston chef won an award from the James Beard Foundation–one of the most prestigious organizations recognizing culinary excellence in the United States–but last night that losing streak was broken by Underbelly’s Chris Shepherd. Shepherd was in New York to accept…
The Five Best Hidden Restaurant Gems in Hillcroft
Two weeks ago, I highlighted some of my favorite relatively unknown restaurants in Chinatown for your eating pleasure. There are so many spots there, it was hard to narrow it down to just five, but before I revisit even more delicious and authentic hole-in-the-wall eateries on Bellaire Boulevard, I thought…
Writing Fiction in the Age of Google Street View
I recently became part of a rising indie publishing house, and I’m telling you that because I’m telling EVERYBODY! Unfortunately, you have to actually go write a book when you do that sort of thing, so I’ve been plugging away at a novel for the past couple of weeks. In…
Five Ds that Must Define the Rockets’ Development
It would be nearly impossible, just days after one of the most heartbreakingly awful losses in team history, to try and grade the Rockets season. At this point, all I remember when Damian Lillard hit that three pointer was an entire sports bar in Austin letting out a collective “NO”…
45 Years on, Jazz Fest Remains an Irresistible Draw
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival wrapped up its 45th anniversary celebration this weekend with an announcement that Shell Oil will remain the festival’s presenting sponsor for at least five more years, when it will turn 50. The seven-day event was blessed with near-perfect weather and played to huge…
Ultimate Power-Trio Bassist Jack Bruce Steps on the Silver Rails
He’s best known to the average classic-rock fan for the scant time in the ’60s, fewer than three years, that he spent singing and playing bass for a quiet little trio named Cream, alongside subdued guitarist Eric Clapton and noted shy-guy drummer Ginger Baker. But Jack Bruce has certainly had…
New Local Rap That Almost Soothes Rockets’ Playoff Sting
I lost bits and pieces of my life last week, no thanks to the Rockets. Plenty of tweets, curses and Jeremy Lin mistakes had me willing to punch my television and completely rage out in a music-blogger form of The Hulk. (The less said about the series’ heart-stopping finale, the…
10 Acts Who Changed Their Names Mid-Career
When picking a band name, you have to be damn sure you want to be called that for the rest of your career. Sure, calling yourself “Ass Face” sounds funny now, but when you’re 40 and still touring under it because it’s the only name anyone knows you by, you…
John Legend at Cullen Performance Hall, 5/4/14
John Legend All Of Me Tour Cullen Performance Hall, University of Houston May 4, 2014 “Gentlemen… I can’t guarantee that you’re gonna get lucky tonight, but I’m certainly setting you up good!” Those were the words of John Stephens, the singer-songwriter and pianist who has, in a relatively short amount…
KHOU: Another Day, Another Burzynski B-Job
What is it with KHOU getting on its knees for self-mythologizing “cancer doctor” Stanislaw Burzynski, a man who charges vulnerable families a fortune to treat dying loved ones with a dubious potion that’s never been proven to be effective? The latest round of fluffing came courtesy of KHOU reporter Jacqueline…
Lesser Prairie Chicken Is Officially Threatened
It’s finally happened. A chicken that you’ve probably never heard of, unless you’re into environmental things, has formally been declared “threatened.” The lesser prairie chicken is a member of the grouse family and distinguished from its relative, the greater prairie chicken, by being a bit smaller. That’s pretty much the…
Tom Jones at House of Blues, 5/4/2014
Tom Jones House of Blues May 4, 2014 If, as Lord Nelson once remarked, our reputation precedes us, then Tom Jones’ rep must enter the room a couple hours in advance. It would at least partially explain the 90 minute wait time between the doors opening at the House of…
You Don’t Need Limes to Make Margaritas on Cinco de Mayo or Any Other Day
It’s Cinco de Mayo and the price of limes has risen significantly. Perfect timing, right? You could go buy limes from the grocery store for nearly a dollar each so you can make your guacamole and margaritas, but who wants to spend that much money when you don’t have to?…
Still No Answers in Post-Prom Shooting that Injured Four Teens
The Harris County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating a weekend shooting that left several people injured following their prom. A possible gang-related incident, according to a report from Channel 2, left at least four teens injured after a shooting early Saturday morning at a post-prom party, according to the sheriff’s…
The Five Best Acts of iFest, Weekend 2
Archie Bell Archie Bell may not have had The Drells to back him up at iFest Saturday, but that didn’t stop him from providing a classic performance one would expect from the Houston R&B/Soul legend. With his 70th birthday approaching, Mr. Bell moved with the finesse of a ballerina, and…
10 Best Kitchen Tools We Need to Invent Right Now
In news of the dumb, a Chicago inventor recently achieved Kickstarter success and Internet fame with a device that he purports will scramble an egg without breaking or penetrating the shell. It’s called the Golden Goose–you know, because the result is a golden egg–and in just a few days, the…
Johnny Manziel’s Odyssey Immortalized by DJ Steve Porter
In 2014, there are certain benchmarks or tributes that provide indicators that one has “arrived” as a star, or at least as somebody relevant with “star upside potential.” They are as follows: 1. Your team has a bobble head day devoted to you. (If it’s followed a couple months later…
Game of Thrones: “First of His Name”
Pete Vonder Haar took the night off from Game of Thrones so I’m filling in for him. This won’t be in his usual style since a) I haven’t read the books so have no idea when great departures from the sacred text are happening and b) I don’t possess his…
Dish of the Week: Mexican Chilaquiles in Honor of Cinco de Mayo
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. See the complete list of recipes at the end of this post. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, this week’s recipe is a Mexican classic: Chilaquiles. The word chilaquiles comes from…
The Spicy Stuff: Ro-Tel Five Ways
Anyone born south of the Mason-Dixon line can tell you how to crowd-pleasing queso with only two ingredients. I’m no big fan of Velveeta, but its partner Ro-Tel has become a staple in my kitchen over the past few months. Until I began writing this story, I had no idea…
Cutting Edges | Finding Lines Exhibit: Rix Jennings, Marie Leterme and Delaney Smith
In an unlikely part of town, Gulfton Street near Chimney Rock, just west of 610 West Loop South, a small but impressive gallery welcomes artists to show their passion. The current exhibition, Cutting Edges | Finding Lines presents Rix Jennings, Marie Leterme, and Delaney Smith. Together, they show a range…
Wanted: Managing Editor for the Houston Press
The Houston Press has an immediate opening for a managing editor. We’re looking for a journalist with exceptional writing, editing and management skills who can meet the daily challenges of our rapidly expanding online content while supporting high-quality print work. The ideal candidate will be able to work well with…
Media Members, Former Players, Bloggers All Weigh in on Texans’ First Overall Pick
Texans fans, NFL Draft fans, it’s almost here, I promise…. Being almost 30 years removed from my childhood, I don’t recall all that well what it was like to be sitting in the back seat of the car on a long trip, wondering when the hell we would arrive at…
Doctor Who: Charley Pollard and 5 Other Companions That Need Spin-Offs
I was insanely delighted to see that Big Finish was starting a new series of audio plays starring my favorite Doctor Who companion Charley Pollard in her own spin-off series. The Edwardian adventuress stowed away on the doomed airship R-101 only to be rescued by the Eighth Doctor. Her salvation…
10 Best Things to Buy at Mercantile in Houston
Take one step inside Mercantile in Rice Village, or in the new location in Montrose, and you realize it’s more than just a coffee shop. Mercantile, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is an adjective describing something that is “of or relating to the business of buying and selling products to…
Trampled by Turtles at Fitzgerald’s, 5/2/14
Houston has come a long way in terms of live music over the past five or ten years. Once a place that many national touring acts would avoid, our city has grown into a hub where bands not only play, but enjoy performing for us. It could be the ever…
New NASA Spacesuits Have Been Chosen: Buzz Lightyear Would be Proud
Last month, NASA asked the people to help pick the design of the next spacesuit. The people have spoken and they have decreed that NASA astronauts should look like chrome versions of Buzz Lightyear. In other words, the astronauts are going to look extremely cool. If they manage to get…
The Whipping Man Scorches With Its Message, Direction and Actors
The final moments of Matthew Lopez’s thrillingly theatrical The Whipping Man, now smoldering inside Stages Repertory Theatre, now bursting into scalding flame, are silent. There’s a steady downpour outside the war-ravaged Richmond, Virginia, house in early April, 1865. It’s been raining on and off for days, but the heat inside…
Taste Testing Black Bean Brownies; Yes, We Said Black Bean
You guys, I made flourless brownies. And you’ll never guess what has replaced the flour. Okay well, it’s clearly in the title so you’ll probably guess, but can you believe it? BLACK BEANS! How gross, I mean good, does that sound? I’ll admit, I was supremely skeptical when I first…
The Heartbreaking (Loss) History of Houston Sports
The Rockets went down in dramatic fashion Friday night, losing on a Damian Lillard three-point shot with 0.9 left on the clock. The shot happened because the Rockets played bad defense in the clutch, just as they did through most of the series. They also lost because Portland did something…
The Next Spider-Man Villain Needs to Be The Punisher
Over the last twelve years of Spider-Man movies one thing has become inescapable; Spidey just doesn’t have the rogue’s gallery necessary to really hold up in film any more. Personally, I suggest that we look to a hero for Peter Parker to face in his next outing, and that hero…
The Most Underrated Barbecue in Houston…According to You
So we’ve been through underrated restaurants, burgers and pizza. Now let’s get down to what we really care about here in Texas: Barbecue. There are a handful of spots in Houston that come up again and again in conversations about local barbecue. There are the classics like Gatlin’s, of course,…
The Five Best Acts of the Texas Crawfish & Music Festival, Weekend 2
Ben Kweller Though Ben Kweller only lives a short distance up 290 in Austin, it feels like he’s never here enough to satisfy the demand for his music. Performing as a trio on Saturday night, Kweller’s set was composed of hits from every album in his discography with the exception…
A Special Springsteen Preview From New Orleans
Last month, The New York Times Magazine published an essay decrying “The Pernicious Rise of Poptimism,” defined by critic Saul Austerlitz as the trend among rock critics to embrace the shallow lifestyle-reporting aspects of pop culture while disregarding or distrusting “music that is about something other than the whoosh of…
The Five Best Shows in Houston This Week: Bruce Springsteen, Gene Loves Jezebel, etc.
John Egan The Big Easy, May 5 Solo bluesman John Egan sings in a tone that suggests someone is constantly walking over his grave, and his lyrics are loaded with bad mojo like nature gone haywire and apocalyptic visions. All he needs live is his National Resonator, one of those…
App Showcasing Nazi Salutes, Boobs, Bullying and Hate Speech Under Fire in Katy
It’s a school administrator’s worst nightmare: technology used to help educate gets confused with a popular app kids are using to promote drug use, nude photos and hate speech. It used to be that leaving the porn websites unblocked was a bad move in family households; now teachers in Katy…
Get Off Your Keister and Enjoy Open Streets Sunday
Go outside and play (or power walk). Remember Mom telling you that back in the day? Megacities have been borrowing an initiative that closes major thoroughfares for a spell to get people on the move. Seriously, don’t look at it like some hipster thing. It’s about taking advantage of public…
The Dumbest Attempted Robbery in Houston (So Far This Year)
We know, it’s funny until someone loses an eye, or a limb, or his life. But this week, police released a video of a group of thugs who were maybe scared by their own shadows, or just didn’t like lingerie mannequins. As it is, cops are looking for a trio…
Teachers Suit Challenges HISD on EVAAS Rating System
HISD is being taken to court in a case filed this week over how it evaluates teachers. Seven teachers are part of the suit, which says a controversial (at least to teachers and their unions) value-added system of rating their classroom work is unconstitutional. The American Federation of Teachers released…
Passaporto Italia Kicks Off at Central Market: Buon Appetito!
Italy has arrived at Central Market. Passaporto Italia kicked off on Wednesday, April 30, with a Prosecco tasting, followed by the “Italy Meets Texas” Sip and Stroll event on Thursday, May 1. For the next 11 days, Central Market will be filled with authentic Italian products, wine, coffee, cheese, pasta…
Breaking News: MF Sushi to Reopen Next Week
On Sept 29 of last year, the unthinkable happened to MF Sushi. The restaurant — which had been named Houston Press’ Best New Restaurant of 2013 — caught fire and burned down, forcing chef and owner Chris Kinjo and his partner, brother Alex Kinjo, to shutter the restaurant indefinitely. Since…
Despite All the Rain, Texas Is Still in a Drought (And Houston Is Still Dry)
Y’all might remember how everyone was talking about the drought last summer. We all stopped talking about it when winter finally showed up and there was rain and cold and all of those snowpocalypses to distract us. But anyone who assumed that meant the drought was over, assumed wrong. The…
Five Best Underrated Pizzas in Houston (According to You)
In polling you, dear readers, about your favorite underrated pizzas in town, we received a number of comments that made us say “AMEN,” but none quite so much as one from reader PizzaEater: “Pizza is a lot like sex,” he/she wrote. “When it’s good, it’s amazing. When it’s bad, well…it’s…
What’s in Fashion: Maple Water Fad, Best Knockoffs, Loincloth Dress
Lots of breaking fashion news hits the interwebs and I don’t want you to miss one bit of it. So, I present some of the biggest headlines each week for your reading pleasure. Click and enjoy!…
Ida Cano: In Memory of a Longtime Houston Press Employee
Longtime Houston Press sales employee Ida Cano, 53, died unexpectedly on Sunday April 27, leaving behind her partner, relatives and co-workers who appreciated her for her professional competence, kind manner and love of a good story. Born October 6, 1960, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Cano was the youngest of five…
10 Memorable Posthumous Film Performances of the Past Decade
By the time Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 The Dark Knight was finally seen by critics and audiences, talk of a posthumous Oscar reached a fever pitch. Naturally, the inclination to compare Ledger’s work to past posthumous landmarks proved tempting, and many lists were compiled…
Gambling! Ranking Every NFL Head Coach Since 1978 Against the Spread
In a perfect world, as relates to sports, our emotions should probably be driven by primal reactions — love, hate, winning, losing. Geography certainly plays a role. My hometown team is playing its archrival, I should want them to win because they’re my team. It should all be very simple…
Thievery Corporation at House of Blues, 5/1/2014
Thievery Corporation House of Blues May 1, 2014 It’s always a treat to be in the same room as a world-class band; one that, no matter what part of the globe you’re in, is welcomed with open arms. Thievery Corporation are just that. They are the definition of world music…
At Celebrate Australia, Texas Barbecue Reigns Supreme
The theme of this year’s Houston International Festival may be Australia, but at Celebrate Australia, the main food event of the festival, the best eats were decidedly Texan in nature. The barbecue cook-off competition, the first of what the International Festival hopes to make an annual event, brought together chefs…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Title: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Does Black Widow Make An Appearance? Larf. As has been extensively documented, Sony Pictures holds the movie rights to Spider-Man. For that reason, this may be the only movie Scarlett Johansson doesn’t appear in this summer. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Three…
Can Crowdfunding Deliver a New deadhorse Album?
Sixteen years after the release of their last EP, BOIL(ing), the stunning prospect of new music from Houston thrash gods deadhorse is now tantalizingly close. Last week, the band unveiled a Kickstarter page set up to fund the recording of the third deadhorse album. When the band reunited two years…
The Houston Press Needs a Multimedia Intern
Did you watch the video? It’s pretty incredible. Our good friend Ted Irving put that together for us for our feature story, “Houston’s Hidden Homeless,” and we’re beyond happy with how it turned out. Here at the Press, we love storytelling in all of its forms, from the well written…
Fire at Jody “Jodycakes” Stevens’s House Has Industry Once Again Raising Funds
Late at night between April 30 and May 1, a fire started in the home of Jody Stevens, better known as her baking persona, Jodycakes. Stevens herself wasn’t home at the time of the fire, because she was assisting fellow chef Randy Rucker at his sold-out Spring on the 3rd…
Heisman Trophy Winner Winston Pinched for Stealing Crab Legs
When Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy in 2012, he followed up his award-winning season with an offseason that made it appear like he had purchased every cool auction item at a charity golf tournament. Courtside seats for the NBA playoffs? Check. Spring break trip to Cabo? Oh, hell yeah…
Making Fun of the Silicon Valley Makes for Great TV
First things first: If you are not watching HBO’s new comedy Silicon Valley, get on it. Now three episodes in, the show is proving to be one of the funniest HBO has released in some time. The show follows Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch) a developer working for a very Google-esque…
5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Cinco de Mayo Celebrations & a Suckling Pig Throwdown
Cinco de Mayo @ El Big Bad Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. 419 Travis Cinco de Mayo is on a Monday this year (boo!), but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate early on Saturday (yay!). El Big Bad will host a Cinco de Mayo celebration beginning at 11 a.m…
Doctors’ Group to A&M: Stop Killing Lambs for Alcohol Study
Courtesy PCRMThis study sounds pretty baaaaaahhhhd to us.For the last 17 years, researchers at Texas A&M have been getting pregnant sheep drunk and dissecting their babies’ brains. No, they’re not doing it for fun, but to find “preventative and ameliorative strategies” for addressing fetal alcohol syndrome. The National Institutes of…
So What Happens to the Astros if They Lose Their Fans?
A friend from out of town was in Houston on Wednesday. He wanted to watch the Minnesota Wild in game seven versus Colorado. I wanted to watch the Rockets. So I found a sports bar where we could watch both, and arrived early to get a booth so I could…
Upcoming Events: Nothing Goes Together Better Than Crawfish & Beer
Treat Mom to an early Mother’s Day gift by taking her to French Country Wines for a free Rosé wine tasting on Saturday, May 10, from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. Let Mom sample the six Rosés offered by French Country Wines and pair them with a selection of cheeses…
100 Creatives 2014: Joey & Jaime, Designers
Joey Garza and Jaime Loera, co-owners of Joey & Jaime, a T-shirt design company, both remember the first time they saw a stranger wearing one of their creations. Garza recalls: “I was with my cousin in Kroger around midnight one night and this guy walks by wearing one of our…
The Strange Case of Shakey Graves
Background to center stage. Support to headliner. Shadow to light. Everything about Alejandro Rose-Garcia’s current life suggests an emergence, even his name. Every exciting opportunity that’s come his way — and there have been many of late — is a step away from his given name and one closer to…
The 10 Best Acts to See at iFest’s Second Weekend
Asleep at the Wheel Ray Benson’s Wheel has been rolling for more than 40 years now, quietly becoming quite a finishing school for many of the state’s top country and swing musicians. Meanwhile, their impossibly tall front man has developed into the leading ambassador of Lone Star culture around the…
2013 Statistics Show the High-Crime Neighborhoods of Houston
When there’s more people, there’s more crime. Seems like the way bureaucrats like to explain away these problems without talking about measures that could increase taxes, nothing about investment in communities, increasing police presence or other possible solutions for areas on the brink. With 2014 nearly half over, the numbers…
Openings & Closings: April Construction Brings May Openings
The month of May is going to be an exciting one for many restaurants, bars, bakeries and coffee shops. Alba Huerta of the upcoming Julep posted a picture of a walk in cooler on Instagram on April 24, while Sal y Pimienta South American Kitchen recently posted pictures on Facebook…
Five Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: Latin Wave, Pedrito Martinez, MenilFest and More
Nine spectacular films make up the 9th Annual Latin Wave: Films from Latin America festival. Among our favorites is Carlos Federico Rossini’s El alcalde (The Mayor), a revealing look at Mauricio Fernández Garza, the millionaire mayor of San Pedro Garza Garcia in Mexico (see the film trailer below). El alcalde…
Steve Gunn: Kurt Vile’s Philly Pal Enjoys Some Time Off
One of the perks of interviewing modern musicians is soaking up their insider music recommendations. For instance, Kurt Vile couldn’t recommend his friend, collaborator and former Violators band mate Steve Gunn, highly enough during our interview last November. Vile’s tip didn’t disappoint, thus introducing us to the hypnotizing psych-folk repertoire…
Sunny Days and Stiff Drinks on the Washington Crawfish Crawl
“Wait, so you’re just gonna dump that entire thing on the table? Are you sure about this? Okay, but what about the beers?” The gorgeous blond at the table next to us is concerned about eating food directly off the table, but unfortunately she has no choice. Not if she…
This Old Willie Nelson Bus Can Be Yours for $30K
The beaut above is a 1983 Eagle that gets an eco-friendly seven miles per gallon when the generator is running. It’s got crushed velvet curtains, and — just a guess here — a few dozen places to hide your weed. Because, oh yeah, it’s Willie Nelson’s old tour bus, and…
The 10 Best Shows in Houston This Weekend: Flamin’ Groovies, John Legend, Tom Jones, etc.
El Dorado Ballroom Dedication El Dorado Ballroom May 2 & 3 (dedication) It seems like Houston has remembered it even has a history only very recently, so it must be making up for lost time now. Less than five years since the Lightnin’ Hopkins Texas Historical Marker was erected on…
Ruling Means a Win for So-Called Ashby Tower Monster
After they won the first round, we’re sure the folks over in the Rice Village area are quite upset after a judge today ruled to let what they consider a monster high-rise move ahead. State District Court Judge Randy Wilson denied a motion to stop the 21-story tower project after…
We Might Be Surrendering to a World of Idiocracy
For a full week, mainstream news has seized upon a single story and effectively beat it to death; the soap-opera saga of an impotent 80 year old who supports a mistress who looks like Mr. Ed in drag. It’s trashy, gossipy, and titillating. It holds great popular appeal for the…
Recipe: Mediterranean Seven-Layer Dip
Seven-layer dip (also known as “Mexican” or “Taco” dip) is awesome. Recipes vary but most involve strata of refried beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes or salsa, ground beef, black olives, green onions, and/or peppers. From the list of aforementioned ingredients, it’s easy to surmise that seven-layer dip is not…
Donald Sterling Hanging Out in Beverly Hills Like Nothing Happened (Video)
(Possibly, soon to be former) Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling may have been banished from NBA arenas everywhere earlier this week, but that won’t keep him sequestered from society. To ask Donald Sterling to have the self-awareness to at least lie low for a few days post-punishment before gallivanting…
Jus’ Mac Friday Special: Crab Macaroni & Cheese
“It’s Friday and Lent,” I said to my husband, with an undeniable air of self-importance, “so no meat for me.” “Last Friday I watched you eat a double Whopper,” he responded without missing a beat. So much for my (lapsed) Catholicism. All right, my motivation for trying Jus’ Mac’s Friday-only…
Indian Jewelry Gears Up for Another Austin Psych Fest
As Austin Psych Fest sprawls across this weekend in the state capital, Houston’s own Indian Jewelry help kick off the festivities with an opening-night show at downtown venue the Mohawk. A veritable celebration of the counterculture, the festival is an homage to 1960s psychedelic rock and is quite simply a…
Karen Carstens, Woman Who Sexed Up Teen, Found Guilty of Sex Assault
A jury Wednesday found a 43-year-old woman guilty of child sex assault charges. Karen Lee Carstens was supposed to watch after her sick friend’s child while the friend was in the hospital, but instead indulged in sexual activities with the then-13-year-old. “I feel like she got everything she got,” the…
Bulgari’s New Galleria Boutique Has Major Wow Factor
Bulgari has all but taken over the Houston fashion headlines this week, but since it is its 130th birthday we don’t mind. Not only are they planning a big debut of their Houston Museum of Natural Science exhibit this Friday, but they are also unveiling their newly renovated Galleria store…
Foster the People at Bayou Music Center, 4/30/2014
Foster the People Bayou Music Center April 30, 2014 “In the ’70s, there was a revolution in music and culture,” Mark Foster said Wednesday night, near the end of Foster the People’s performance at Bayou Music Center. “A lot of it was criticizing the way things were, and I feel…
UPDATED: As Fees Become Problematic, Restaurants Move Away from OpenTable, But Do They Stay Away?
A few more people in the local restaurant industry chimed in with their thoughts on OpenTable after this article was originally published. You can now read their comments on the next page. Imagine you own a restaurant, and you want to fill seats. You need to get people to make…
Are These the 10 Worst Houston High Schools? (UPDATED)
Updated 5/5: Late last week the Houston Chronicle reported that the Children at Risk findings used flawed statistical analysis. “The mistake involved a ‘growth index’ as part of each school’s ranking. The measure of how much individual students improved on state exams in reading and math from 2012 to 2013…
Get Your Early Bird Tickets for Houston Press BrewFest NOW!
Don’t wait! Houston Press BrewFest is back once again on Saturday, May 17 from 2 to 7 p.m., and now through May 4 at 11:59 p.m., tickets are only $30 for general admission and $55 for VIP. BrewFest is a biannual event held at Silver Street Station and celebrating all…
The Best Comics in April Part 2: Local Love and Nightmares
Each month the staff at 8th Dimension Comics picks out the best book to review. Check out our Part 1. Hulk #2: If you ask me it’s always been very hard to make Hulk great in his own book. There are exceptions, of course, but as an ongoing series he’s…
The Rocks Off 200: Leslie Krafka, Onward Through the Fog
Welcome to The Rocks Off 200, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See the original Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Leslie Krafka came late…
Fantasy Crime League Update: Josh Morgan Gets the Chicago Bears on the Board
Before we get to the latest news for the NFL Police Blotter, and thus the latest score in my NFL Fantasy Crime League, we have a small bit of housecleaning. This is why you need to stay up to speed on ALL crimes, not just current ones, but developments with…
10 Best Wine Bars for Drinking AND Eating in Houston
I’m what one might call a wine bar aficionado. I hit up spots for vino around town a lot. I usually go out around dinner time, though, and I find myself in an unfortunate predicament. I’m buzzed and starving, and the only food on the menu is a dainty $25…
The 5 Most Sinister Mansions in the Houston Area
So it turns out that people may not want to live in a murder mansion. Go figure. And if you’re Seabrook resident Nir Golan, you don’t want to live in a mansion that’s been built on and/or near the site of a murder mansion either. Even if you’re unsure as…
Taco Bell Hack With McDonald’s Habanero Ranch Sauce
If a Cool Ranch taco is good, then what about a Habanero Ranch taco?
Jay Shinn’s Cathedrals in the Sky Where Octagonal Is the Way to Go
The Barbara Davis Gallery opened on April 25 its exhibition of Cathedrals in the Sky, a solo-exhibition by Dallas- and New York-based artist Jay Shinn of new and exciting works. Virtually all these works involve a common shape – octagonal – but Shinn varies his conceptions by differing choices in media…
Wendy Davis’s Chances Dismissed by Democrats
It’s one thing to have the opposing party saying a candidate doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell (or a Democrat’s chance in Texas), but when the candidate’s own party signals it isn’t so sure, now that has got to be awkward. Case in point: State Senator Wendy Davis became…
UPDATED: Where to Eat on Mother’s Day 2014 in Houston
It feels like just yesterday we were rounding up the places to eat on Easter. Now, it’s time to help you decide where to take Mom out on her special day. A multitude of Houston restaurants are opening up their doors on Sunday, May 11, to serve brunch, lunch and/or…
The Four Winners, Four Losers in Rockets’ Game 5 Win
If there is one thing we have learned through five games between Houston and Portland, it is that these are two very evenly matched teams. In five games, there have been three overtimes. Take away Wednesday night’s win for the Rockets by 10 points and the remaining four games were…
Rest of the Best: 10 Best Houston Urban Legends
Houston is a big diverse city with a big diverse population, and that more often than not leads to a whole lot of different levels of bunk and bull that must be waded through in order to find the truth. On the other hand, some of those legends are true…
All Hell Breaks Loose for Thin Lizzy Spawn Black Star Riders
Of all the classic-rock bands that have been defunct for decades, few have had as big a commercial and critical resurgence as Thin Lizzy. While the band and any hopes for its continuance effectively ended with the 1986 substance abuse-related death of founder/singer/bassist/guiding light Phil Lynott, classic-lineup guitarist Scott Gorham…
The Last VJ’s Five Best Videos of the Week
Welcome back to The Last VJ, music fans. This week we’ve got dueling afterlives in case you’re in the market for one. Also, I check in on a contestant from Dance Moms embarking on a music video career, and an unbelievably great London rap based on a series of novels,…
Frat vs. Family Comedy Neighbors WOn’t Haze You
Nicholas Stoller’s hilarious Neighbors splashes into summer with the satisfying swish-plop-hooray of a winning beer-pong serve, making the director, who also wrote March’s Muppets Most Wanted, the first filmmaker in history to simultaneously have in theaters both a kiddie flick and an R-rated comedy where two men sword-fight with dildos…
¡Ritmo Latino! with The Pedrito Martinez Group featuring Ariacne Trujillo
Houstonians get a heavy dose of Afro-Cuban Latin jazz with ¡Ritmo Latino! with The Pedrito Martinez Group featuring Ariacne Trujillo, presented here by the Society for the Performing Arts. Bandleader, percussionist and Cuban native Martinez has played on more than 100 albums, including those by jazz greats Paquito D’Rivera and…
Trio SLAVA: A Musical homage to Sargent
The award-winning Kostov-Valkov Duo (Lachezar Kostov on piano and Viktor Valkov on cello) has performed in world-class music halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall and the Gewandhaus of Leipzig. So it would be reasonable that the pair would have a somewhat casual approach to performing in a gallery at…
Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America
Prepare to have your heart broken at least once during the ninth annual Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America. Actually, we should say at least twice. Or more. The nine films that make up the festival include Carlos Federico Rossini’s El alcalde (The Mayor), a revealing look at Mauricio…
My Girlfriend Calls Me Too Much. Help!
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! NOT FEELING IMPORTANT TO MY BOYFRIEND Dear Willie D: My boyfriend of two years told me…
Capsule Art Reviews: May 1, 2014
“The Age of Impressionism: Great French Paintings from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute” These days, Impressionist exhibitions are the art museum version of the ballet The Nutcracker: frothy and beautiful, if a little overexposed, and sure to pack ’em in at almost any price. Even though we’ve already…
Capsule Stage Reviews: May 1, 2014
Anna Christie Eugene O’Neill’s drama about seafaring men, and their women on shore, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1922, and a 2011 production in London won the Olivier Award as Best Revival. The play opens at a waterfront bar in New York City, with bartender Larry (Taylor Biltoft) serving drinks…
Everyone Says I’d Do You
One of the great pleasures of regular moviegoing isn’t seeing great films. It’s finding the little oddballs, the modest entertainments that miss just as often as they hit, but leave you with the feeling that someone poured heart, soul and a sense of humor into the work at hand. Fading…
With Chef, Jon Favreau Whips Up Indie Comfort Food
Chef, the back-to-his-roots indie flick from Jon Favreau (Iron Man), is to modern foodie culture as his own Swingers is to ’90s swing revival. Favreau plays Carl Casper, a culinary bad boy, barreling egotist and divorced father with a chef’s knife tattoo stretching down his right forearm and “El Jefe” across his…
The 10 Best ’80s Cartoon Theme Songs
Remember the days when you’d set your beeping alarm watch to 6 a.m. on Saturday morning to wake up in time to catch your cartoons? Man, nothing compared to the stillness of the house in the early hours, where you could sit in peace while an animated, pizza-obsessed turtle and…
Texas Is Losing Out on Millions of Dollars Thanks to Its Defective Property-Tax System
After the private company Houston 8th Wonder purchased the former Six Flags AstroWorld site at Kirby Drive and Loop 610 for $77 million in May 2006, the Harris County Appraisal District turned around and said the empty 104-acre lot was worth $74 million. Instead of taking the $3 million savings…
The 2014 Houston Cinco de Mayo Guide
You won’t need to dredge up your high school Spanish to enjoy this Latin-flavored holiday — anyone can celebrate the Mexican defeat of a French army at Puebla with tequila, margaritas and the occasional roast pig with help from their favorite restaurants, bars and clubs. Friday, May 2 Bodegas Taco…
The Texans Have Plenty of Options With the No. 1 Pick in the Draft. That’s the Problem.
“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” — Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption If there was a professional football hell last fall, it probably had a 77054 ZIP code. We all lived the Houston Texans’ 2-14 season in 2013,…
The Food at Coltivare Is Almost Worth the Wait
The wise philosopher Will Smith once said, “When you create art, the world has to wait.” Nowhere in Houston is that more true than at Coltivare, the four-month-old restaurant from Morgan Weber and Ryan Pera of Revival Market. Much has been written already about Coltivare’s hip no-reservations policy, which at…
True North: Take a Stroll Down Heights Boulevard for This Outdoor Exhibition
Heights Boulevard has a broad median running from 4th Street to 20th Street, with grass and sporadic metal seating facilities, in effect, a series of mini-parks, and these are being used to great advantage as the venue for an outdoor sculpture exhibition titled “True North, Sculpture on the Boulevard,” with…
Day-Drinking Through the Little J’s / Brixx Crawfish Circuit
‘Wait, so you’re just gonna dump that entire thing on the table? Are you sure about this? Okay, but what about the beers?” The gorgeous blond at the table next to us is concerned about eating food directly off the table, but unfortunately she has no choice. Not if she…
In a Rebuilding Year, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Feels Familiar
Since 2002, the year Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man hit theaters, the other Spider-Man, the hero of the actual comic books, has joined the Avengers, revealed his secret identity to the world and become a highly paid inventor who has engineered, among other marvels, a limitless energy source science has dubbed “Parker…
In the Case of Belle, the Painting Is Better Than the Film
Belle opens in the Houston area this Friday, May 16. Although it’s based on the true story of the illegitimate daughter of a Royal Navy captain and an enslaved African woman, Amma Asante’s Belle’s richest inspiration comes from a painting. A 1779 double portrait hanging at Scone Palace in Scotland,…
One Festival Turns the Page While Another Flies Under the Radar
iFest It’s hard to believe that the Houston International Festival was once just a street fair in front of Jones Hall and the Alley Theatre, but that’s only one wrinkle in a fascinating history that stretches back to 1971. iFest has been all over the city, from Main Street downtown…
Five Hidden Gems to Discover in Chinatown
Top Five I spend a lot of time in Chinatown. Between shopping for squid fryers at Japanese import store Fit, getting foot reflexology at Lucky Feet and eating my way through hundreds of restaurants, I could pretty much never leave if I didn’t have to, you know, go to work…
Gender-Neutral Restrooms Headed to University of Houston-Downtown
Highlights from Hair Balls Education Lou Weaver supports the idea of gender-neutral restrooms on campus. He’s a transgender male, and he can recall his unease with using public bathrooms at Houston Community College when he was a student there. One day after class, there was a situation with a student…
Day Labor and Personal Space
Dear Mexican, Is there a pecking order at the places where you see day laborers awaiting to be hired? What’s the hierarchy? Are all those dudes Mexican or are some Central and South American, and if so who has priority when the random contractor comes by to pick up a…
