Five More Musical Texas Politicians
In this week’s Houston Press cover story, you can read about Kinky Friedman’s completely serious campaign to become Texas’ next Agriculture Commissioner in the November 2014, a position he hopes will allow him to be the state’s leading advocate for marijuana legalization. This is not the first time Friedman, a…
Does a Hot Dog by Any Other Name Taste as Good? James Coney Island Is Now JCI Grill
Every restaurant goes through changes at one point or another, and it seems it’s James Coney Island’s turn to do so. The famous Houston-based hot dog chain will no longer be known as James Coney Island. The restaurant has decided to change its name to JCI Grill in an attempt…
Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Texas Abortion Law
Judge Richard Posner, the leading judicial-scholar of our generation (think Oliver Wendell Holmes and Learned Hand), recently said in an interview: “Well, I don’t like the Supreme Court. I don’t think it’s a real court. I think of it as basically . . . it’s like a House of Lords…
This Week’s Cafe Review: Étoile Is Many Degrees Better Than All These Star Puns
Look, we’re guilty of it, too. When I first sat down to write a headline for my review of Étoile Cuisine et Bar, the first thing that came to mind is “A Star Is Born.” After that I was thinking about the fact that Étoile is a shining star and…
Cover Story: Kinky Friedman Is Running for Agriculture Commish on a Marijuana Legalization Platform
Politics are as frustrating as they are compelling. They can also be strange, sometimes really strange. In Texas, where we often push the level on the political weirdo-meter into the red, there is a battle brewing in the race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner that promises to add some celebrity intrigue…
Reality Bites: Vegas Strip
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. If you’ve read “Reality Bites” more than once (unlikely, I know), you’ve probably figured out what a big fan I am of COPS. It’s arguably the first reality show –…
Say Bundaberg (Five Times, Quickly): A New Drink for When You’re Not Drinking
Bundaberg is an exceptionally good ginger beer.
Wille Nelson & Family at Stafford Centre, 11/19/2013
Willie Nelson & Family, Paula Nelson Band Stafford Centre November 19, 2013 The thought that Tuesday night might be the last time I see Willie Nelson never even popped into my head until after the show was over. I just assumed he’ll be back about eight months from now, like…
The New Segregation: Political Polarization in Houston and the U.S.
Gerrymandering is always tossed around by lazy national media types as a reason for why our politics are so polarized. As I’ve noted before, this is not the case. Some of the alternative explanations are the urban/rural divide and people self-selecting to live (or move to) cities where they feel…
Thanksgiving Advice From Houston Chefs: Make a List, Brine Your Bird and Drink Wine
Thanksgiving is a national day of cooking and eating until you’re completely stuffed…then eating some more. For those in the culinary profession, Thanksgiving is a little different than it is for the rest of the country. Some spend the entire day cooking in the kitchen of their restaurant; some enjoy…
Lifetime Announces New Series Under the Gunn (No, It’s Not a Show About Dating Tim Gunn)
Last week, Project Runway fans and Tim Gunn fans (depicted by one, giant circle on the Venn diagram of those two demographics) got an extra thrill when Lifetime Network announced the January 16 premier of Under the Gunn, a new fashion reality series starring everyone’s favorite mentor, plus other PR…
Barry Scheck, Cofounder of the Innocence Project, Talks Michael Morton
By the time Barry Scheck walked out onto the stage at the Wortham, the buildup was huge. This was the guy who cofounded the Innocence Project, responsible for the exoneration of 311 wrongfully convicted people. This was the guy who looked at then-U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese after Meese said…
Elf the Musical: A Christmas Special Brought Here by TUTS
At 10 weeks old, Jessica Rush was on stage in a Beaumont-based production of Fiddler on the Roof. With a high school drama teaching dad and parents who met in the theater department at Lamar University, Rush says she was destined for theater. “That was what we did. Some people…
This Week in Food Blogs: Homemade Green Bean Casserole and Pecan Pie Rugelach
Smitten Kitchen: Everyone has their opinion about casseroles, and the green bean varietyis one that evokes strong opinions — you either love it or hate it. But, for those who don’t enjoy the casserole made from canned ingredients and fake fried onions, try this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, which uses…
Propain at Warehouse Live, 11/19/2013
Propain Warehouse Live November 19, 2013 Late in Propain’s set at Warehouse Live Tuesday night, no less an authority on the current cultural zeitgeist of Houston rap than Kirko Bangz took a second to sum up the mood of the evening. “This is your time,” he told the headliner, a…
Forgotten Houston for Kids: Malibu Grand Prix
Putting anyone behind the wheel of a speeding car seems almost asinine if you examine it from a completely clinical standpoint. Not only are you hurtling along the road in a tin can surrounded by unpredictable strangers in their own speeding tin cans, but you aren’t just going in a…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Paul Petronella Tells the Story of How Camerata Wine Bar Came Into Being
This is the second part of a two-part Chef Chat interview. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. In Part One of this week’s Chef Chat, Paul Petronella of Paulie’s and Camerata told the story of growing up in an Italian-American restaurant family and what it was…
The 10 Biggest Fights at Thanksgiving
In a completely unscientific poll done in 2011 by market research firm Harris Interactive, it was found that out of a 2,462 adults surveyed online, Thanksgiving was the No. 2 favorite holiday. The No. 1 holiday was Christmas. In addition to loving turkey day, Americans also love to crash their…
Federal Case Against Trustee Larry Marshall and HISD Dismissed by Judge
Houston ISD trustee Larry Marshall and HISD itself got happy, happy news Tuesday when U.S. District Court Judge Keith P. Ellison dismissed all claims against them filed by Gil Ramirez Group and Gil Ramirez Jr. in late 2010. In the lawsuit, Ramirez and his firm had alleged that Eva Jackson…
Five Fine Tips for People on a (Tight) Budget Who Still Want to Eat Out Once in a While
I’m a writer, here a word meaning one broke-ass dude. That said, broke-ass dudes still have to eat, and they can even still eat out on occasion if they plan the trip well. Today I’m going to pass along five of the little tips that I’ve developed that will allow…
100 Creatives 2013: Vic Shuttee, Comedy Writer and Performer
We talked to comedy writer and performer Vic Shuttee just a few hours before the first preview for his play, Brick Wall, at the University of Houston, where he’s a student in the theater department. The play, which Shuttee began writing three years ago for a class, follows three comedians,…
Zapruder Analysis of Devastated Illinois Fans Watching a Kid Commit to Kansas
In the hierarchy of “people who care a little too much about sports,” I think that the “college football/basketball recruitnik” has a special (maybe even slightly creepy) place. I’m not saying that following recruiting as one would follow the regular news is necessarily an unhealthy thing. Say what you will…
Me, My Daughter and Mario: A Four-Year-Old’s First World 1-1
I was four years old in 1985 when the Nintendo Entertainment System was released, which means I had an awesome Christmas that year as well as many, many years afterwards. What can I say? Everything important I learned came from lessons in 8-bit graphics. Of course, the system came with…
Rest of the Best 2013: Top Ten Ice Cream Spots
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’ll be rounding up the “rest of the best” in some of our…
Vote or Die: The Last VJ’s Top Five Videos of the Week
Welcome back to The Last VJ, music fans. The music video as an art form is as unique and brilliant as it is now once again underground. To perfectly mesh music with a film director’s vision is to empower both of those forms beyond the sum of their parts. If…
Five Great Acoustic Punk Tracks
Last month noted garage punks The Men released their latest effort, an EP of acoustic tracks called Campfire Songs. The 2013 Free Press Summer Festival MVPs may play some pretty hyped-up punk rock, but they’re no strangers to softer styles, with latest album Open Your Heart more closely resembling Neil…
25 More Ways to Know You’ve Spent Too Much Time In Montrose
Rocks Off loves Houston’s adorably scruffy, formerly sketchy hipster ‘hood long ago known as “Neartown,” but sometimes you have to go beyond Allen Parkway or 59. We asked a few of our writers exactly when they know that last week, and they hit 25 and went right on going. You…
Rice No. 7 on List of America’s Smartest Universities
Everyone in Houston knows those kids at Rice are a smart lot. Sure, Valhalla might have a weird dress code issue, but otherwise, it’s a nice place with a lot of generally intelligent people. So it should come as no surprise that Rice University made Lumosity’s list of the smartest…
Wendy’s Bacon Portabella Melt on Brioche Is a Delicious Mouthful (in More Ways than One)
In spite of the incredibly stupid commercial for Wendy’s Bacon Portabella Melt on a Brioche bun (see above), the actual sandwich itself proved to be irresistible. And even though I wasn’t impressed by Wendy’s efforts in the pretzel bun department, I found the idea of sweet brioche, smoky bacon, and…
Weather Week: The Cool Weather Is Back, With More on the Way
On Sunday, a friend of mine posted on his Facebook feed that the weather was worse than a hot summer day in Houston. His point was that we are now in the middle of November and that having record high heat (we reached 85, breaking the previous record high of…
Book Check: “The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election”
Title: The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election by John Sides and Lynn Vavreck This Book is Obviously About the Obama-Romney Election, Right? Yes, but with a twist. This book is a post-mortem of the 2012 presidential election by academic political scientists — John Sides teaches at…
Brewmasters’ Panel Gives Inside Look Into Houston’s Colorful Craft Brew Scene
“With wine you’ve got a very narrow palette of colors to work, with but beer can be anything from Monet to Van Gogh to Salvador Dali to Pollock. We can do incredible things, paint with so many different colors” proclaimed Rassul Zarinfar, founder of Buffalo Brewing Co. “There’s no ‘s’…
5 Harsh Truths That Will Help You Be a Better Writer
Right now I’ve got a ton of friends on Facebook currently plugging away for National Novel Writing Month, the annual contest where people are encouraged to pen 60,000 original words of written work. Though I don’t join in myself due to increased obligations at my day gig during November, it…
Heritage Turkeys: What You Need to Know (And Don’t Delay; These Tasty Birds Are Going Fast)
Let’s face it, you’ve more than likely had your fair share of Butterball turkeys. With Thanksgiving around the corner, we thought we’d introduce you to some special birds that offer a wonderful alternative to Butterballs and their ilk: Heritage turkeys. These birds have exactly what their name says: heritage. They…
Zapruder Analysis of This Snapshot of a Forlorn Texans Sideline on Sunday
“Their faces tell you everything.” — Mike McD, Rounders The Texans’ futility in the second half of games during this eight-game losing streak has been well documented. Two touchdowns in eight halves of football (47 possessions in all), it really doesn’t get much more meager than that. How are the…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Paul Petronella of Paulie’s Talks Family, Longevity, And Good Coffee
This is the first part of a two-part Chef Chat interview. Check back with us tomorrow to read Part 2. When we talk about neighborhood restaurants around town, Paulie’s on Westheimer has been a Montrose staple for years. Celebrating its 15th year in business this year, the casual Italian restaurant…
Five Impossible Gifts for Impossible People
Some people are just impossible to buy for, you know? Everyone knows at least one of these impossible people; they fall into several categories: The Already-Has-Everything Woman: She buys whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, so what’s left? The Guy Who Always Hates All His Gifts: Every time a…
Conservapedia: The Search for the Truth Ends Here
You are surely aware of Wikipedia, the crowd-sourced online encyclopedia. While sometimes comically inaccurate (but rarely nowadays), Wikipedia is actually a fairly reliable resource for basic facts (How many touchdowns has Tom Brady thrown? Which years was Warren Harding president?). It is almost always one of the first few hits…
Poor Pecan Crop and Consumption in China May Mean an Increase in Prices This Year
No matter how you say it — pee-khan, pi-khan, pee-can or any other variation — the price of pecans is going up. The increase may not be seen on grocery store shelves just yet, but a number of contributing factors mean that your pecan pies will likely be a little…
The Rocks Off 200: Tom Lynch, New Kid On the Block
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 previous entries in the Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? It’s fair…
Pop Rocks: 12 Years a Slave – When Seeing a Movie Is Both Painful and Worth It
I cry at lots of stuff. Movies, books, TV shows, even stupid Internet videos can leave me blubbery at my desk. This is not to say I cry all that often. Maybe a more accurate statement would be to say I well up at lots of things. Crying is reserved…
UPDATED: UT Young Conservatives Plan to Play ‘Catch an Illegal Immigrant’
UPDATED: The UT Young Conservatives have called off the “Catch an Illegal Immigrant” game slated to be held Wednesday after the event was decried by pretty much every one, including University of Texas President Bill Powers and both major political parties. Lorenzo Garcia, the head of the group, said they…
Eric Harrison, Former Houston Chronicle Film Critic, Passes Away at 57
On Sunday I and the other officers of the Houston Film Critics Society received an e-mail from Alan Cerny, HFCS Secretary, asking if we’d heard of the death of one of our founding members, Eric Harrison. A quick Facebook check and a few phone calls later, the bad news was…
Phở Risotto: “Fusion” Doesn’t Have to Suck
Do you remember that old nursery rhyme about Jack Sprat? Well, that’s my wife and eldest daughter, only with phở. On our not infrequent trips to Van Loc, a longstanding family favorite, we always forget this fact. Every single time, we look across the table at a bowl full of…
Dear Omer Asik: Ask Andre Johnson How to Handle Being Disgruntled
It’s never ideal when an athlete, upset by any number of issues, decides it is time to move on. It makes the player look like a whiner and limits the team’s options. After all, once it is known a player wants out, it severely hamstrings the team’s ability to find…
Big Things Happening for the Cordúas With Release of First Cookbook and New Churrascos
December will be a big month for the Cordúas. The Cordúa family’s first cookbook, Cordúa: Foods of the Americas, is being released next month, and the fourth Churrascos in Houston will be opening, in Memorial City. Both the cookbook and the new restaurant are symbols of the family moving in…
Being Pregnant During the Holidays: The Pros and Cons
This weekend I dropped by Whole Foods to pick something up and was bombarded with the sights and smells of the holidays. “Try some brie?” a tattooed woman in an apron said to me. “Uhhh.. no thanks,” I replied. “Sample this red wine for the holidays,” my favorite Whole Foods…
That Girl: An Engagement Story in Four Songs
One recent Sunday, I watched my best friend propose to his longtime girlfriend of more than a year. I know how much weight that particular statement makes, but considering all the factors here, this was a big damn deal for all parties involved. Never in our natural lives did we…
Upcoming: Arcade Fire, Beach Boys, Elefante, Journey/Steve Miller Band, Kem, etc.
6400 featuring DJ Xcess: Sat., December 7, 9 p.m., $10. Numbers, 300 Westheimer, Houston, 713-526-6551. Arcade Fire: Wed., April 9, 7:30 p.m., $30.50 to $60.50. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins Dr., Spring, 281-363-3300. The Beach Boys: Sat., January 18, 8 p.m., $59.50. Arena Theatre, 7326 Southwest Fwy., Houston,…
Mountain Man Leslie West Once Had Houston at His Fingers
“You’re in Houston, so let me ask you something,” a gravelly, low voice asks on the other end of the phone. “Is the bed you’re sleeping on from Finger Furniture?” An odd question to hear outside of a TV commercial, to be sure. But even odder since the voice asking…
The 10 Best Kanye West Items on Etsy
I have a slight obsession with Kanye West because I simultaneously recognize that he is really a genius while at the same time acknowledge that’s a Hollywood fathead who isn’t nearly as genius as he thinks he is. The result is a strange figure that elicits devotion, obsession, mockery, and…
College Football Recap: The Reverse Jinx and the Return of Coach O
The dirty little secret about college football in 2013 is that it hasn’t been all that great a season. Yeah, it’s college football, and even ho-hum college football is still better than 80 percent of what sports has to offer. And yeah, we have the usual tasty controversy brewing with…
Never Done Thanksgiving Take-Out Before? We Give Ouisie’s Turkey and Sides a Lunch Tryout
My family has never celebrated Thanksgiving in a huge way. We all love to eat, and my mother and I are pretty great cooks (if I do say so myself). But we’re a family of three, so it never seems worth it to spend our day off slaving over a…
David Feherty Makes Hard Truths Funny at Waggoner Foundation Speaker Series
Golf Commentator David Feherty hasn’t recovered. He’s made that clear in his address at the Waggoners Foundation Speaking Series fall luncheon at the Hilton Americas-Houston on Friday. He’s not cured of alcoholism or addiction, he’s just not drunk right now. The luncheon benefited the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston…
Your Houston Press Artopia 2014 Bands: Electric Attitude, Featherface & Deep Cuts
The Houston Press and Rocks Off are proud to announce the musical lineup for our sixth annual Artopia, set for Saturday, January 25, once again at Winter Street Studios (2101 Winter St.). While you admire the creations of some of the Bayou City’s top visual artists and fashion designers, Artopia’s…
What’s Cooking This Week? Chicken Piccata, Smoked Salmon Quiche, & More
I love cooking for my fiancé and planning meals for us, but cooking for two often proves to be difficult. If I don’t make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredients I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
Rice Owls Demolish Louisiana Tech While Erasing Thoughts of Seasons Past
The Rice Owls (7-3) stomped the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (4-6) on Saturday night. Demolished them by a score of 52-14. The Owls were up 24-0 at the half, but showed no mercy, going for the kill like few Rice teams have done in recent years. But it was a maddening…
Texas School District Allows Transgendered Student’s Photo in Yearbook
After a protracted fight, the La Feria School Board in South Texas decided to allow the formal senior portrait of Jeydon Loredo to appear in La Feria High School’s yearbook. The board previously nixed the photo because Jeydon appeared in a tux and is transgender. Jeydon and his family were…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013: No. 68, Green “Hurry Curry” at Nit Noi
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Ad Deum Dance Company Uncertain With Moving Violations Pardoned
The Set-Up:Dancers are used to taking corrections for mistakes made in the studio. Some corrections go beyond stylistic suggestions; they are required for the safety of the dancers to avoid injury during the creation of new works. Ad Deum Dance Company’s artistic director Randall Flinn takes this scenario and uses…
HISD Sells High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice to St. Thomas
After months of deliberation, we have a sale. The Houston Independent School District Board of Education authorized the sale of the campus housing the district’s High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice on Thursday. Trustees voted unanimously to accept a $60 million bid made by St. Thomas High School…
Kathy Griffin Brings Her Raunchy Humor to the Hobby Center
“Did you get my twat?” Kathy Griffin asks me when we start our phone interview this past Friday. “I twatted at you.” It takes me a minute to understand that Griffin is talking about a tweet she had just sent me. Before I can even reply, she jumps right in…
Holy Wave at Mango’s, 11/17/2013
Holy Wave, Lochness Mobsters, Infinite Apaches Mango’s November 17, 2013 Under threat of another Monday, sometimes nothing prepares you for the start of another work week like a thorough squeegeeing of the old third eye. It was already difficult to shake the feeling that I was tripping on Sunday after…
Looking for a Thanksgiving Day Aperitif? Try the Excellent Pilgrim’s Negroni Cocktail
Most classic cocktails can be improved by tweaking the proportions, but not the Negroni. You can ask your bartender to pour the best gin for the drink (Beefeater, or Tanqueray if the bar is out of Beefeater) and if you’re paying $13.00 for a Negroni, you may expect it to…
Bartender at Rice Institution Valhalla Threatens to Cut Off Alumnus’s Necktie
Certain bars in Houston have long been notorious for their dress codes. For example, in 2012, Tyler Deric, a backup goalie for the Houston Dynamo, became involved in a physical and legal altercation outside Heights bar Roosevelt Lounge after being denied entry because his group of friends “didn’t meet the…
Texans Reach the Breaking Point, Andre Johnson Walks Off
“Me and Matt are fine.” — Andre Johnson, after Sunday’s 28-23 loss to the Oakland Raiders You’re Andre Johnson. You get drafted in 2003 by a one year old expansion team, still in its infancy stage. You’re excited, you’re eager, and you’re hoping to be the foundational building block of…
Red Carpet Premier by Johanna Johnson & Haute Hippie Makes First Runway Splash
Many events come and go, but once an event makes it’s 4th birthday it can really say it is here to stay. Fashion Houston made four this year and did with….style. The largest fashion event in the city has cemented its place as the event national and international brands showcase…
There’s a New Pie in Town: Fresh Market’s Crusts Are Exceptional, and Pliable and Moist
Judging by the number of work trucks in the parking lot, House of Pies will keep its vow to reopen before Thanksgiving. I certainly hope so. My mom always made a pecan pie and a pumpkin pie for the holidays, but we threw tradition under the Metro when we discovered…
Petition Urges Killing Plan to Cut Down Forest in Section of Terry Hershey Park
Terry Hershey Park is known for its lush wooded areas and the trails that lace through them. But now some locals are worried that it won’t stay that way after the Harris County Commissioners Court authorized a study of the area that points toward the creation of a detention basin…
Don Pasquale: Opera in the Heights Does Right by This Breezy Comic Masterpiece
The set-up: Beguiling is the right word to describe Gaetano Donizetti’s sixty-ninth opera, the sparkling buffa comedy Don Pasquale (1843), a smash hit ever since its Paris premiere. You could also use that same word to describe the sprightly production from Opera in the Heights. Others come to mind: delightful,…
A Veteran of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Dishes on Saving Thanksgivings, Welcoming Men to the Helpline, and Thawing Methods
Carol Miller has had a hand in more Thanksgivings than most chefs. She’s there when the turkey doesn’t thaw in time, and when the oven repeatedly turns off, and when, despite all your best efforts, dinner gets burned. She’s there even when your family has completely given up on you…
Raiders 28, Texans 23: What the Schaub?
About 20 minutes after the Texans game ended, a good friend of mine left a message on my voice mail explaining how angry she was at the team. If you listen to call-in shows or watch Twitter or listen to fans in the stadium, you would see she is not…
Paste Untapped Festival at Discovery Green, 11/16/2013
Paste Untapped Festival Discovery Green November 16, 2016 It’s hard to imagine an event like Untapped Houston happening a few short years ago. Still in its infancy, Discovery Green was reluctant to book large-scale events such as this combination music/craft-beer festival; these days it’s a wonder the park was even…
Thanks-Killing: Halloween Is Over, But the Horror Goes On
Halloween is over, and for many folks that means an unabashed love of blood, mass murder, and monsters once again goes from “holiday spirit” to “creepy.” The more domestic and family oriented celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas loom, and that means we’ll be switching Friday the 13th marathons on TV…
Cheap & Good Eats: Top 5 Budget Lunch Spots in The Woodlands for Your Dining Pleasure
We’ve been rounding up our favorite budget lunch spots in different neighborhoods around town (See the complete list at the end of the post). Today, we’ve moved outside the loop to the ever-expanding Woodlands area. With tons of families and new developments, including ExxonMobil’s soon-to-be-completed 385-acre campus, the already-booming restaurant…
Houston’s 10 Best-Sounding Music Venues
Listening is not necessarily the strong suit of Houstonians who frequent live-music venues. But for those who do choose to silence themselves and their phones for live performances (or those drowned out by the sound system), there are certain places around town that are built for great sound. These venues,…
One Direction’s “Story of My Life” Has No Reason to Exist
Note: In his column Serrano Time, award-winning writer and goofball Shea Serrano writes about his life and times. Courtesy of Columbia/SycoZayn and the crewSong: One Direction, “Story of My Life” History: A long time ago there were barber shop quartets and then after that the New Kids On The Block,…
Twenty One Pilots at House of Blues, 11/15/2013
Twenty One Pilots House of Blues November 15, 2013 Music has a funny way of making things seem grandiose, bigger than they actually are. “I was at a church, and this guy was saying something,” said Tyler Joseph from the stage at House of Blues, softly the playing piano as…
The Best Concerts in Houston This Week: Trivium, Willie Nelson, Moon Taxi, etc.
Trivium, Devildriver Warehouse Live, November 18 Across six albums, Florida’s Trivium has refined an aggressive blend of thrash and metalcore generally too heavy for rock radio, but with enough melody for them to cultivate a sizable and devoted underground following. Last month they released Vengance Falls, whose production by ex-Disturbed…
Brick Wall at UH Explores the Lives of Three Stand-up Comedians
The set-up: The lives of three stand-up comedians are explored – we meet them both onstage and off – and elements of originality are added as two of the three are handicapped. The execution: The primary setting is a nightclub in Atlantic City. Patrick Poole portrays Orny Griswald, who once…
Ted Cruz: As Abrasive and Arrogant in College as Now
Ted Cruz, the id of the Tea Party, is nobody’s dummy, academically speaking. Cruz is a double-Ivy grad, who went to Princeton for his undergraduate degree and law school at the venerable Harvard. When the Daily Beast undertook to discover what Cruz was like at Princeton, it reported: several fellow…
Half-Off at Maine-ly Sandwiches, El Pueblito, Sorrel Urban Bistro and More
Since it’s Friday, and you’ve all been so very, very good this week, we’ve decided to reward you with not one, but two delicious, irresistible Houston Press Voice Daily Deals. Why choose just one, when you can have both? • Half-off ($15 for $30) a delicious Latin dinner at El…
Soccer Fan Bets His House AND LOSES! (Also, My Weekend Best Bets)
There’s an old saying that when people feel strongly about a sports betting premonition, they should “bet the farm.” The phrase is never uttered with the thought that anyone anywhere would literally do that, though. However, apparently Iganga, Uganda, is not part of “anywhere.” (And international soccer fans are not…
Jonathan Brandis: How Life After Teen Stardom Can Take a Wrong Turn
AirwolfberlinJonathan Brandis hanged himself 10 years ago this week at Sixth and Detroit in Los Angeles, in the second-floor hallway of an apartment building south of Hollywood near a decent doughnut shop and a cat groomer. He was 27 years old. And he was my first big crush. If you’re…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013: No. 69, a Dozen Raw Oysters at Pappas Seafood
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Man 1 Bank 0: What Happened When a Bank Cashed a Check for $95K That It Shouldn’t Have
The set-up: A young man, Patrick Combs, as a prank endorsed with a smiley face a promotional check received in the mail, made out to him for more than 95 thousand dollars, but labeled “non-negotiable”. Much to his astonishment, the bank cashed it. The aftermath that followed is detailed in…
The Head and the Heart at Warehouse Live, 11/14/2013
The Head and the Heart Warehouse Live November 14, 2013 I think Thursday is starting to be that night again where everyone decides not to worry about how they feel the next morning at work. When I was growing up, “thirsty” Thursdays were the thing, especially when I was first…
BATTLE-DRINK, Week 11: DeAndre Hopkins’s Weenie Roast
In last week’s BATTLE-DRINK post, I wrote the following: As we head into Week 10 with the Texans taking on the Arizona Cardinals, all of a sudden we have squares devoted to Gary Kubiak’s health, the jumbled running back roster, a quarterback non-controversy-that-some-people-are-trying-to-make-a-controversy, bullying in the Dolphins locker room, and…
David Peck Brings His Entire Crew and Chloe Dao Goes Downtown Cool
It was a packed house on night three of Fashion Houston. While everyone was excited to see the presentations from Rolando Santana and Yigal Azrouel, the night belonged to the hometown favorites Chloe Dao and David Peck…
Dining Web Site EatWith Invites You to Share a Home-Cooked Meal With Strangers
A few weeks ago, I went online, found a stranger who can make North African food, and paid her and her husband to make dinner for me and a few friends. It’s not as weird as it sounds. Alice and Carlos had created a profile on EatWith.com, a Web site…
Rihanna & A$AP Rocky at Toyota Center, 11/14/2013
Rihanna, A$AP Rocky Toyota Center November 14, 2013 Music is about connections. It’s about finding that song you love, the one that moves you, the one that makes you want to belt it out as loud as you can. When it comes to a body of work, Rihanna may have…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: The Best Man Holiday
Title: The Best Man Holiday That Title Makes No Sense. Well, it’s a sequel to The Best Man, and it takes place during Christmas, so … yeah, I don’t get it either. It’s like that was their placeholder and they ran out of time. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To…
Weekend Weather: If You Don’t Like the Weather in Texas…Wait
For most of this week, Houstonians have been digging their sweaters and jackets out of the deep recesses of our closets. We inundated air-conditioning companies with phone calls about our furnaces. We enjoyed the faint smell of burning dust we notice every year the first time the heater gets turned…
Bun B & the Houston Symphony’s “Concert Against Hate” at Jones Hall, 11/14/2013
“Concert Against Hate” Houston Symphony feat. Bun B Jones Hall November 14, 2013 Thursday afternoon, Bernard Freeman paces nervously backstage at Jones Hall during rehearsals for the evening’s program. “This isn’t your normal House of Blues show,” he proclaims. The scope of this performance is indeed grand. Houston’s Anti-Defamation League…
Houston Bartenders Have Some Great Drinks Lined Up for Your Fall and Winter…Cheers!
For much of the country, fall begins with the first cold front of the season, usually in September. There’s a chill in the air, the leaves begin to change color and everyone starts looking forward to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In Houston, we know it’s fall when Starbucks rolls out…
The Catastrophic Theatre Announces Its 2014 Season With 2 New Plays by Miki Johnson
One play is about a musician and his girlfriend, their relationship damaged by drugs and sickness. Another is about ” the search for meaning in the face of utter meaninglessness.” Another is about a woman buried alive who is trying to remain upbeat. And then there’s the Christmas show –…
Cracks in the Foundation: Pop Warner Football Participation Drops Dramatically
With the discovery of the brain disease CTE (chronic traumatic encepholopathy) in football players, many of whom saw their lives spiral out of control then ending in suicide or violently, we might have seen the beginning of end of football in America, at least as we know it. As the…
5 Greatest Bits of Creationist Science
People take a very dim view of Creationism because it’s, you know, wrong. I’m not saying that there’s no God and that He had nothing to do with the way things turned out, I’m just saying that asking Biblical literalism to be considered science is like my daughter insisting Harry…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: A Double IPA Throwdown and CyderFest 2013 at Camerata
Three-Coasts Double IPA Battle @ D&T Drive Inn Friday, 6-8 p.m. 1307 Enid St. In continuation of Houston Beer Week, D&T Drive Inn will host the “Three-Coasts Double IPA Battle” tonight from 6-8 p.m. Green Flash Brewery represents the West Coast with the Green Bullet, Brooklyn Brewery represents the East…
OSHA Fines Tomball’s Pigs Unlimited International Inc. for 19 Violations
A Tomball company’s fat is in the fire with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, so to speak. The company, Pigs Unlimited International Inc., a foam and polyurethane pig manufacturer (we’re talking about a piece of equipment sent up pipelines, not actual pigs, to clarify), has…
Upcoming Events: Comfort Food Cooking Class, Austrian Wine-Tasting Seminar & A Thanksgiving Leftover Throwdown
It’s getting colder outside, so now’s the time to gather up some seasonal recipes perfect for a chilly night. Sur la Table in the River Oaks Shopping Center will hold its “Easy & Delicious Fall Suppers” cooking class on Tuesday, November 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For $79,…
100 Creatives 2013: Robin Davidson, Poet and Translator
What She Does Robin Davidson has been writing poetry for years and in 2013 she published two chapbooks and her first full-length volume of poetry. She is also an instructor of Eastern European literature, Contemporary American poetry and creative writing at the University of Houston-Downtown and is an adviser to…
In Honor of Ed Reed: The Worst Free-Agent Signings in Houston Sports History
So Ed Reed’s gone. It seems like just yesterday that Bob McNair was flying Reed around the country on McNair’s private jet. But now, unwanted by the Texans, Reed finds himself playing for the Jets. Don’t cry for Reed, though, because while he barely played for the Texans, he collected…
The Top 5 Things to Do in Houston this Weekend: Megan Hilty, The Wicker Man – Final Cut and More
You might not know her name, but you likely recognize Megan Hilty. She starred as Galinda in the musical Wicked both on Broadway and on tour. Later, she played the perky blond foil to Katharine McPhee’s stormy brunette in the highly acclaimed but relatively short-lived musical television series Smash. In…
Openings & Closings: Ripp’s Grille Shutters & Tiger Den Finally Opens For Good
Ripp’s Grille is the only restaurant to announce sad news this week, and the diner’s final day of business is today. The Houston Chronicle’s Syd Kearney reports the movie-themed restaurant will be closed as of 10 p.m. on Friday, November 15. Before it’s gone forever, stuff your face with the…
25 Ways to Know You Spend Too Much Time in Montrose
Rocks Off loves Houston’s adorably scruffy, formerly sketchy hipster ‘hood long ago known as “Neartown,” but sometimes you have to go beyond Allen Parkway or 59. We asked a few of our writers exactly when they know that. You envy the comparatively walkable sidewalks of Fallujah. You have five different…
Venomous Maximus Ramps Up to Conquering Mode
2013 was a big year for the men of Venomous Maximus. The local metal kings toured with Down, opened for Guns ‘N’ Roses and played SXSW and Fun Fun Fun Fest. They even signed a deal with Napalm Records, which issued the band’s critically acclaimed album Beg Upon the Light…
Houston’s Top 10 Cougar Bars
As our sister blog Eating…Our Words does, from time to time Rocks Off will be giving you our picks for the top taverns in various Houston-area neighborhoods. Of course, the lines can be porous, but here anything with a TABC license that cannot reasonably be considered either a restaurant, coffeehouse…
The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Untapped Festival, Little Joe Benefit, etc.
Venomous Maximus Fitzgerald’s, November 15 Houston’s dark overlords of doom-metal should be coming into this Fitz show — their first hometown gig since opening for Guns N’ Roses in May — on quite a high, having just shared a stage with the mighty Slayer at last weekend’s Fun Fun Fun…
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Names Winners in International Wine Competition
On November 13, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced the champions from the Rodeo Uncorked!® International Wine Competition, held this past weekend at Reliant Center. Now in its 12th year, the competition is one of the highlights of the livestock show and rodeo. The judging involved lots of wine:…
The 6 Creepiest Things About R U Dateable’s Justin Lookadoo
On Wednesday, students at Richardson High School near Dallas were treated to an assembly featuring Justin Lookadoo, porcupine-looking religious “motivational” speaker. Lookadoo is the man behind the Web site R U Dateable and related books, in which he presumes to tell 16-year-olds how to find a suitable mate. Among his…
The Dead Links Are a Real Live Band, and a Good One
Imagine you’re a new band all but starting from scratch: struggling to book gigs, pay for studio time, and get your music out to potential fans. Now imagine you’re middle-aged, and there are dozens of bands in town jockeying for those same things, except with the advantage of being about…
Fantastic Ramen Inside the Loop: The Spicy Soy Milk Ramen at Kata Robata Is Utterly Divine
There’s something about the colder weather that makes me crave a hot bowl of noodle soup. There are even days when I actually don a sweater or a jacket, days that are not especially cold, but I want something warm in my belly so I pretend it is near freezing…
American Horror Story: Coven: Best Part of the Carnival Is the Sideshow
To me it’s weird that as someone that started this season of American Horror Story with frankly a lot of doomcrying and gnashing of teeth I am actually starting to like the season more even as Twitter and social media seems to be telling me the opposite is true for…
Janelle Monae at House of Blues, 11/13/2013
Janelle Monae House of Blues November 13, 2013 The things that pop into your head sometimes at concerts. Wednesday night, already on my short list for best show of 2013, it was City Slickers. Yes, the 1991 Billy Crystal/Jack Palance comedy. Crystal and his buddies are on a trail ride,…
Baker Spotlight: Kit Seay, Amanda Bates Spread (Mother and Daughter) Joy Through Tiny Pies
Who says a pie has to be large? Why can’t a pie be handheld or even bite-size? Mother and daughter duo Kit Seay and Amanda Bates decided to make a business around smaller, personal pies, hence the name, Tiny Pies. But the idea didn’t come from either of them. “My…
Donald Chang Opens Nara, a ‘Modern Korean’ Restaurant in West Ave, to Much Fanfare
Suddenly it seems everyone is talking about Nara. After remaining somewhat under the radar for the past several weeks, Nara, which opened last night, is now being discussed on blogs and on TV, And at first glance, you might wonder why. For starters, it’s a Korean and Japanese restaurant opening…
Fashion Houston: Bibhu Mohapatra Makes Florals Fresh, and Nicole Miller Spots a Naked Girl in the Green Room
Last night Fashion Houston continued with another series of strong showings by designers Rebecca Taylor, Bibhu Mohapatra, Nicole Miller, Peter Millar (for men), and Yigal Azrouël with his Cut 25 line, which is available at Tootsie’s. Azrouël will show his eponymous collection tonight, along with Rolando Santana, Chloe Dao, and…
Linsanity Not Enough to Prop Up Ailing Players, Defense
Two games. Three overtimes. One win. After gutting out a win over Toronto in Houston, the Rockets lost in a single overtime to Philadelphia. In both games, Jeremy Lin was on fire, shooting a combined 20-38 from the field, 12-21 from three-point range, dishing 14 assists and scoring 31 and…
Ed Reed Gone, the Epilogue: “It All Gets Back to Football”
“It all gets back to football.” — Gary Kubiak on the Tuesday release of safety Ed Reed After convalescing for a week or so on the heels of a mini-stroke suffered at halftime of the home game against the Colts 11 days ago, Texans head coach Gary Kubiak returned to…
Weddings for Dudes: 10 Tips for Taming the Modern-Day Gift Registry
I recently got married, but before that I spent years working at them as a photographer, musician and DJ. I’ve seen almost everything there is to see from good to bad to downright ugly. Now, guys, you can get the benefit of my knowledge and mistakes to help you navigate…
The Magic Bullet: 50 Years Later, Why Do So Many People Believe in JFK Conspiracy Theories?
Almost 50 years ago, as the media is constantly reminding us lately, JFK was assassinated. There is a veritable cottage industry of movies, books, TV shows and specials surrounding his assassination, never mind two government inquiries: the Warren Commission and the Select Committee (1978). Whether his assassination was done at…
Drake, Miguel & Future at Toyota Center, 11/13/2013
Drake, Miguel, Future Toyota Center November 13, 2013 “I been waiting for this motherfucker the entire tour!” a more than jovial Drake announced to a near-capacity crowd at Toyota Center Wednesday night. “Everybody knows Drizzy Drake was born here in Houston.” He doesn’t attempt to keep his distance from fans,…
Opera in the Heights Presents Donizetti’s Comedy Don Pasquale
Houstonian Wesley Landry has a juicy role in the comedy Don Pasquale, the latest production by Opera in the Heights, a 2013 Houston Press MasterMinds Award winner. Landry plays Dr. Malatesta, (he shares the role with Octavio Moreno) friend and physician to the cantankerous Don Pasquale (sung by Stefano de…
Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Here Are Five Things Guaranteed to Warm You Up, Head to Toe
If you ventured outside yesterday, you noticed that the temperatures had fallen. In honor of the chilly weather, we present five foods you should enjoy for lunch or dinner whenever the mercury drops, and we tell you where you can find them if you don’t want to cook. 5. Ramen…
Fitness and Fatness: New Research Unveils a Surprising Link
Almost needless to say, we are a body-conscious nation. Diet and nutritional fads (Atkins, South Beach, pomegranate, organic produce, the Fireman’s Diet, the Caveman Diet, the list could go on ad nauseam) attract our attention and our wallets. Part of this obsession with weight and body image is a tendency…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013: No. 70, Banana Split at Cloud 10 Creamery
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Pop Rocks: “Sextortion,” Privacy and Miss Teen USA
It was announced yesterday that the suspect of the Miss Teen USA “sextortion” scandal, Jared James Abraham, 19, is expected to plead guilty to his heinous crime. If you haven’t been following the case, which has been skimming only slightly above the radar for the past year, here goes: Miss…
The Rocks Off 200: Ashley Worhol, Goth-Metal Queen of Katy
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 previous entries in the Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? If you’ve…
Five Bits of JFK Assassination Paraphernalia You Won’t See
Right now the world is full of Kennedy nostalgia and tons of stuff you can see linked to the day President John F. Kennedy and company drove past the Texas Book Depository in downtown Dallas. The 50th anniversary is upon us, and while it might feel a wee bit on…
Ad Deum Dance Company: Moving Violations Pardoned Includes New Work by Jose Limón Dancer/choreographer Durell Ron Comedy
Ad Deum Dance Company Director Randall Flinn says Moving Violations Pardoned is more than just an interesting title for the group’s latest program. It was the group’s mantra while creating the works showcased in the program. Flinn says the directions given to dancers are sometimes like driving instructions. “It’s almost…
Spotlight on Thanksgiving Sides: Veal and Meatball Lasagna at Prego
Looking for non-traditional (at least for your family) side options this Thanksgiving? This series highlights the unconventional, interesting twists on sides available for sale at Houston restaurants. Pick up some to add some variation to Turkey Day. If you’re accustomed as I am to Italian-American Thanksgivings, you may not blink…
Police Seek Man Charged With Raping 13-Year-Old
Courtesy Houston Police DepartmentDo you know where Forrest Wayne is?Houston police are asking the public’s help to find a man accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl. Forrest Wayne, 41, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child…
Cheap & Good Eats: Top 5 Budget Lunch Spots in Garden Oaks/Oak Forest
We’ve been rounding up our favorite budget lunch spots in different neighborhoods around town. So far, we’ve covered Montrose, River Oaks, Midtown, Upper Kirby, EaDo, Rice Village, the East End, and the Galleria. But we’re not done yet … Today, we’re moving just outside the loop to the neighborhoods of…
Don’t Upstage: Theater Etiquette for Beginners
Since theater season is well upon us, I thought I’d take a page from my Museum Etiquette for Beginners post, and ask some friends for tips for those new to the theater scene as audience members. This time of year is an especially good time in Houston for people new…
Vote or Die: The Last VJ’s Top Five Videos of the Week
Welcome back to The Last VJ, music fans. There’s really nothing in the world like watching a song come to cinematic life. It really becomes the ultimate form of musical expression, mixing inputs from two different senses in a way that transcends even live performance if done correctly. As we…
Vildhjarta
Love it or hate it, the Meshuggah-indebted djent form of progressive/technical metal is the wave right now, and Vildhjarta is one of the biggest and best to come out of that scene. The Swedish act released their first record Måsstaden back in 2011 and hit #37 on the Billboard Top…
My Boyfriend May Be a Pimp. 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! I THINK MY BOYFRIEND IS ASHAMED OF ME Dear Willie D: I have been seeing a…
Bayou City Poetry Grand Slam
MECA’s stage becomes the Thunderdome during the Bayou City Poetry Grand Slam as poets from across the nation compete for bragging rights and a $1,000 prize. Three rounds are done tournament-style with Olympic-style judging. The top three poets in the final round win the prizes. The purse has attracted Ed…
The Wicker Man — The Final Cut
Yes, the 2006 The Wicker Man remake was fun; watching Nicholas Cage dress up as a bear and utter the immortal line “Oh no, not the bees, not the bees! Auuuugh! Aglubah my eyes! My eyes! Aaaauuuurrrrgh!” But Robin Hardy’s original The Wicker Man, starring Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee,…
Ad Deum Dance Company: Moving Violations Pardoned
Director Randall Flinn thought he was reaching out to a stranger when he sent a note to José Limón dancer/choreographer Durell Ron Comedy asking if he was interested in choreographing a new work for the Ad Deum Dance Company. “When we finally got on the phone together, I started, ‘Hi,…
Brick Wall
Three stand-up comics, one microphone and an Atlantic City casino. That’s the setup for Brick Wall, a comedy written by Vic Shuttee. A junior majoring in playwriting at the University of Houston, Shuttee started work on the play three years ago as a class project. After being workshopped at the…
Houston Symphony: Luck be a Lady
You might not know her name, but you likely recognize Megan Hilty. She starred as Galinda in the musical Wicked both on Broadway and on tour. Later, she played the perky blond foil to Katharine McPhee’s stormy brunette in the highly acclaimed but relatively short-lived musical television series Smash. In…
Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Colum McCann
Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s new book, Americanah, is filled with lyrical phrases such as “I feel like I got off the plane in Lagos and stopped being black.” And “Maybe we should laugh less and solve our problems more.” Adichie, who is sharing the stage with Colum McCann during…
Burnt at the Steak
Some actors work as waiters while waiting for their big breaks. Carolann Valentino managed a multimillion-dollar steakhouse. It was an eye-opening experience, and she’s crafted the much-lauded and acclaimed one-woman musical Burnt at the Steak around her adventures in restaurant-land. Valentino plays a cast of different characters in order to…
“Colombia: Transformed/Architecture=Politics”
“Colombia: Transformed/Architecture=Politics,” on exhibit at the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects, spotlights work from six contemporary Colombian architects. The group “really look at political and economic conditions in their country, and respond by creating architecture that empowers people,” says Mat Wolff, the AIA’s exhibitions coordinator. “A lot…
A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas
James Black directs the Alley Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol — A Ghost Story of Christmas. The annual holiday favorite follows miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as he’s visited by three ghostly spirits on Christmas Eve in an attempt to show him the evil of his ways. Do they succeed? Of…
“Elvira Sarmiento: Alludere Posada”
Contemporary Mexican artist Elvira Sarmiento comments on society’s fear of new technology, as well as its thirst for sensationalistic news, in the exhibit “Elvira Sarmiento: Alludere Posada.” The title refers to famed printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, whose work Sarmiento alludes to in her new creations, reflecting the themes he often…
10 ’90s Albums That Should Be Broadway Musicals
It seems Broadway may have a taste for those ironic jagged little ’90s pills after all. Here’s the thing: Jagged Little Pill, that mega-huge album from our favorite ’90s alt-wailer Alanis Morissette, is being adapted for the Broadway stage. As in, they’re making the album into a Broadway musical, and…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Calaveras Mexicanas: The Art and Influence of Jose Guadalupe Posada,” “Funnel Tunnel,” Hill Country Love Affair: Interpretations of a Texas Heartland, “Kermit Oliver: Tracing Our Pilgrimage,” “Rachel Hecker: Group Show,” “São
“Calaveras Mexicanas: The Art and Influence of Jose Guadalupe Posada” The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, commemorates the 100th anniversary of Posada’s death with an exhibition titled “Calaveras Mexicanas: The Art and Influence of Jose Guadalupe Posada.” The exhibit decorates the white walls between the lower-level staircase of MFAH’s Caroline…
Can Terrorists Enter the U.S. Through the Mexican Borderd?
Dear Mexican, Could it really be possible for a terrorist to sneak into the U.S. through the southern border, or is that just more fear-mongoring from the conservatives? Not Crazy about Quds Dear Gabacho, Of course it’s possible, but we’re really not going to know until we find out, right?…
The Alabama-Coushatta Still Exist and Are Doing What They Need to Do to Continue
Singing filled the hall while the drumbeat rattled the yellow pine walls. Obrey Alec, eyes closed, gently shook his long, graying hair and smacked the drum while a wail poured from his throat. It was a song from another tribe and the words weren’t in Alabama or Coushatta, the two…
The San Jose Clinic Is Here to Take Care of Those Left Behind by the Texas Health-Care Debate
Two years ago, Alma Saldierna’s husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. As his central nervous system broke down, he was hit hardest on his left side, leaving him deaf in that ear. He was trapped in his own body with an incurable verdict, his life as a construction worker over…
Simply Pho Is More Than Its Name Suggests
Get a behind the scenes look at Simply Pho by checking out our slideshow. The name of the restaurant is completely misleading, as I discovered during my first meal there. I was seated at one of the two dozen four-tops scattered throughout the spacious dining room and was handed a…
The Houston Ballet Brings Paris to Its Feet
Unless they’re on strike or, maybe, charging the barricades in protest, French audiences don’t stand up. It’s just not in their genes. In the theater, they can bestow riotous applause, but a standing ovation is as rare as a fat Parisian. Houston Ballet’s dreamy co-production with international pianist Lang Lang,…
Eat Your Art: There’s a Feast Going on at Blaffer Art Museum
In 1932, F.T. Marinetti penned the Futurist Cookbook, a work that decried pasta; stated that perfume should accompany food; recommended cork, sandpaper, sponge and felt-covered pajamas for dinner guests; and introduced the “polyrythmic salad,” which diners cranked out of a box. The manifesto is filled with recipes that emphasized food…
Best Man Holiday Is a Welcome Return for a Underappreciated Genre
From the mid-1990s to somewhere around 2006, Hollywood bankrolled a number of romantic entertainments targeted to — though not made exclusively for — black audiences. Pictures like Love Jones, Brown Sugar, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Something New provided a showcase for actors of color, a refreshing change…
One More Day?
Free Press Summer Fest Free Press Summer Festival has decided it wants to grow. This past Monday, the popular Houston outdoor music festival — which drew an estimated 81,000 people to Eleanor Tinsley Park in June 2012, the first sellout in its five-year history — posted a video urging fans…
The Doomed Dome
Highlights from Hair Balls Spaced City When the Roman Colosseum was built, it was a sports stadium, the first of its kind and a spectacle like nothing seen before. It was iconic beyond what took place inside, but the atrocities and spectacular events that did occur inside the building added…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Avenue Q, Carnival ‘Round the Central Figure, Death and the Maiden
Avenue Q Take Sesame Street and give it a college coming-of-age story and an R rating and you’ve got the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, now being presented by Music Box Musicals. The musical, which stars puppets, monster puppets and humans, is being mounted by Music Box in its intimate theater…
Houston’s Top 10 Doughnut Spots
Best of 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’ll be rounding up the “rest of the best” in some of…
