Two Defeated Drug-Court Judges Will Continue Working For Free, For A While
Amidst today’s celebration for the 12 graduates of the STAR (Success Through Addiction Recovery) Drug Court Program, there was also a surprising announcement. “This very afternoon the board of judges agreed … for Judge [Mike] Wilkinson and I to, pro-bono, continue our drug-court dockets,” said Judge Caprice Cosper. “Ya’ll can’t…
For Another $7 Million, Maybe They Can Straighten It Out
See that there? What do you think it is?Shocking photographic evidence of an architectural disaster?Proof positive that the August heat in Houston can melt just about anything?You’re wrong. It’s a proposed pedestrian bridge over Buffalo Bayou, linking hike-and-bike trails near Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway.A $7-million pedestrian bridge, we hasten…
Tonight: Pimp C Tribute on KPFT’s “Damage Control”
Has it really been a year already? Indeed it has: On December 4, 2007, Port Arthur-born MC and producer Pimp C was found dead in his Hollywood hotel room; the Los Angeles County Coroner listed the cause as a combination of sleep apnea and accidental overdose of codeine-containing cough syrup…
Can LBJ Kick Chuck Norris’ Ass?
We all know the facts about Chuck Norris:Chuck Norris knows everything there is to know – Except for the definition of mercy.Chuck Norris knows the last digit of pi.A high tide means Chuck Norris is flying over your coast. The tide is caused by God pissing his pants.We know all…
Hanukkah Latkes: Increasing Our Dependence on Oil?
The fried potato pancakes called latkes are the traditional food of Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday which begins this year on the night of December 21. Explanations about the connection between the Eastern European potato pancakes and the commemoration of a battle against the ancient Assyrians generally involve a comparison of…
Heroes Hip Hip Hurray: Was Tina Turner Right?
Heroes Hip Hip Hurray, Heroes Hip Hip Hurray www.heroeshiphiphooray.com In rock and roll, the concept of a “hero” has always been lyrical fodder. John Lennon and David Bowie both voiced our yearnings for fearless ones who fight injustice in the open or just suffered quietly in their own futile way…
Photoshop Phun At The Baylor College Of Medicine
The wonders of Photoshop are bountiful — they let Sooner football fans taunt UT; they allow people to make bold, trenchant analysis of the current socio-political world by showing George Bush in his “Mission Accomplished” flightsuit in unlikely settings; they probably have something to do with lolcats, for all we…
What’s Not To Like About Hanukkah? Lots
Christmas is approaching, which means it’s time for gentiles the country over to condescendingly recognize the existence of one of the least significant Jewish holidays – the frustratingly spelled Hanukkah.While it’s certainly nice to wish others well during their respective holidays, Hair Balls believes Hanukkah needs to be kept in…
Art Rock: Radio Birdman at Meridian
[Inspired by Rocks Off’s trip to Sugar Hill yesterday, the one and only Rosa Guerrero sent over a few shots from Radio Birdman’s June 2007 show at Meridian. Enjoy.] …
Texans Long Snapper Bryan Pittman Suspended
Bryan Pittman was suspended by the NFL yesterday. For those of you going Who the hell is Bryan Pittman?, he’s the long snapper for the Houston Texans. His job is to snap on punts and kicks. Pittman is one of six players suspended for the rest of the season. His…
Texans Long Snapper Bryan Pittman Suspended
Bryan Pittman was suspended by the NFL yesterday. For those of you going Who the hell is Bryan Pittman?, he’s the long snapper for the Houston Texans. His job is to snap on punts and kicks. Pittman is one of six players suspended for the rest of the season. His…
Tonight: Wilderness at the Mink
“(P)ablum,” live in Brooklyn Anyone who thought Wilderness fell into a slump with Vessel States, the year-after follow-up to 2005’s arresting self-titled debut, will be glad to hear that the cryptic Baltimore band has altered its approach somewhat on the new (k)no(w)here. Born as a single piece from a Whitney Biennial-sponsored collaboration…
Father Of Murdered UH Prof Blasts Insanity-Plea Deal
A new face of injustice in Harris County could soon be James Dewald, Sr., father of the University of Houston professor killed by his wife last year. Dewald repeatedly told reporters this morning that the case has ended in a “miscarriage of justice.”Kristen Dewald, who confessed to the murder shortly…
The Most Unimpressive Hacker Ever
Those wily IT guys.A computer tech who was a contract worker for the energy giant Calpine is going to federal prison for a year and a day because he hacked into an employee’s computer and used it for nefarious purposes.Actually, not all that nefarious — he used the financial information…
Another Fast-Casual Restaurant Looks to Land in Houston
Baker Bros, a fast-casual, American deli restaurant out of Dallas, is looking to expand into Houston, if it can find a good spot for its first signed-up franchisee. It’s also looking for more folks to buy into a franchise, which at the going rate of $500,000 is a steal, according…
Artist of the Week: Peekaboo Theory
Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group “Artist of the Week,” bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn’t awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. Mark C. Austin To be succinctly vague,…
A Very, Very Rare Purge Begins At The DA’s Office
It was an odd mix of feelings around the tables at Char Bar last night, as the prosecutors who had just been given their pink slips from incoming DA Pat Lykos gathered to meet with sympathizers.No one wants to lose a job in this economy, of course; on the other…
KBR Sued Again, Featuring Dogs Running Around With Human Arms In Their Mouths
If it’s not one thing (such as accusations of sexual harassment) with those crazy cats at Kellogg, Brown & Root, it’s another.A lawsuit against the company recently filed in Houston federal court accuses its workers of exposing military and non-military personnel in Iraq to contaminated food, contaminated water, and improperly…
Semi-Catastrophe For Catastrophic Theatre
Catastrophic Theatre, the successor to Infernal Bridegroom Productions, has had to delay its production of Spirits to Enforce by a week and also cut that week from the planned three-week run of the play.It’s because of illness, says CT’s Jason Nodler.”With a cast of 12, who are all on stage…
Houston Company Tapping Into The Obama Magic
The election of Barack Obama was a surprising temporary revenue stream for the embattled print media — papers sold out, additional copies describing the victory sold out, and now companies like The New York Times are offering a cornucopia of Obama-related items for sale. (Framed edition of the front page…
A SugarHill Supergroup of Sorts
The SugarHill Gang, from left: Fever Tree’s Rob Landis, Radio Birdman’s Dennis Tek, engineer Andy Bradley, Tyson Steth, Kenny Cordray and Dust Peterson Photos by Chris Gray Watching musicians in the studio is like watching meat processors make sausage: it’s tedious and there’s lots of blood. But it’s worth it…
No Recession In The Chronicle’s Holiday Gift Guide
The Houston Chronicle has come out with a Holiday Gift Guide, and so has the Houston Press. We at the Press pointed out to readers that “the luxury industry has taken a hit just like the rest of the economy, which is good news for you.” We suggested “a silver…
Gingerbread House Smackdown at VOICE Tonight
Click here for a slideshow… Tonight’s the night that the results of a gingerbread house baking and design contest orchestrated by VOICE Restaurant Executive Chef Michael Kramer will be revealed to the world. In keeping with the season, Kramer challenged the city’s best pastry chefs to put together the perfect…
An Hour in Sunny 99.1’s Holiday Hell
Band Aid: Do they know it’s Christmastime at all? Most people I know hate Sunny 99.1, but not me. And I should really hate it. Any radio station supported by the American Dental Association has to suck. But every time I listen to it, I either hear something so corny…
UH Prof May Have Created The Self-Charging Cell Phone
One day, maybe soon, you’ll charge your cell phone just by walking around with it — thanks to a UH professor.Pradeep Sharma and an A&M professor named Tahir Cagin think they’ve solved a problem that’s long vexed researchers. It involves a lot of mumbo-jumbo of the sort that scientists like…
Not a Lot of News from the Health Department, Galleria-Area Edition
Chances are that if you eat in the Galleria area, you’ll be eating at a restaurant that hasn’t been issued any violations by the Health Department lately. Not necessarily because the place was clean and in compliance, but because there haven’t been very many inspections in the area over the…
The Recession Affects Free Booze In Houston, Unfortunately
Yesterday we were informed that it’s official – the country is in a recession. And the lean times got us thinking — can you still score a free drink in this town? Keith Plocek got drunk for free for ten days straight back in December 2005 for the story “Free…
The Smashmobile: Denver’s “Xmas Present to Houston”
Rolling in with one flat tire on its trailer, the brightly-colored Smashmobile limped into the Houston Press parking lot today all the way from Denver and ready to hand out its classic Smashburger and fries. As discussed in an earlier blog post, Smashburger is the Denver-based “fast-casual” burger chain that…
Free Beer With Your Haircut — What Can Go Wrong?
Irving-based Knockout Haircuts for Men, the grand champion in the crowded and competitive field of franchised, boxing-related hair salons, is invading Houston. Thirty-three area locations are planned, although only one, in Champions Village, has so much as an address (5403 F.M. 1960) and an opening date (December 13) right now.Like…
HPD Beat Man To Death, Family Says
At today’s City Council meeting, the family of a dead man will accuse HPD officers of beating the man to death.Houston civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen tells Hair Balls a report from the county medical examiner reveals that Marion Wilson, 52, died from blunt force trauma after an altercation with…
Chuck Rosenthal Won’t Face Prosecution
He may be our Turkey of the Year, but one thing former DA Chuck Rosenthal is not is…a guy facing state criminal charges.Interim DA Kenneth Magidson announced today that Rosenthal will not be prosecuted for anything he did during his amazing self-immolation.”After a careful and independent review of this matter,…
HPD Can’t Be Bribed (This Time)
What are things coming to these days when a massage-parlor owner can’t even try to bribe a cop without getting in trouble?That’s the whine of Man Hui Cho and his wife Ki Sun Park, who were just trying to go along to get along as they operated the family businesses,…
Duran Duran Still On… for Now
Although Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor is battling a pernicious ear infection that makes travel impossible, forcing the ’80s icons to cancel last night’s show in San Antonio and tonight’s in Dallas, the band’s publicist says Friday’s show at Verizon Wireless Theater is still on. For now, that is. Stay tuned to Rocks…
Find Out Which Houstonians Were Anti-Gay In California’s Prop 8 Fight
Gays — and the people who love `em, like `em or just don’t know why the government needs to mess with `em — are still pissed about losing Proposition 8 in California, which banned gay marriages. And they’re doing something about it.(The semi-inspiring sequence over a similar election in Sean…
What to Get a Texas Beer Lover for Christmas?
The Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner celebrates its 100th birthday next year and while we’ll have to wait until January for the anniversary beer to be released, a new book on the history of the brewery has already hit the bookstores–just in time for Christmas. The hefty coffee table book (beer…
Possible Loophole To Get Out Of Those Red-Light Camera Tickets
A Dallas judge has ruled that the company operating that city’s red-light cameras violated state law by operating without a private investigation license. So what’s the big deal?Well, American Traffic Solutions, the Arizona-based company that operates the cameras in Houston, isn’t licensed in Texas either, according to the Texas Department…
Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking: Were You Ready for Some Boring Football?
I can’t believe I wasted over three hours of my life watching the Houston Texans last night. Sure, they won the game 30-17, but damn, that was an awful game to watch. I found the document review I was working on to be more interesting than most of that game…
Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking: Were You Ready for Some Boring Football?
I can’t believe I wasted over three hours of my life watching the Houston Texans last night. Sure, they won the game 30-17, but damn, that was an awful game to watch. I found the document review I was working on to be more interesting than most of that game…
Prisoners In Beaumont Federal Pen Sue Over Work Conditions
Earlier this year, we brought you the story of the hundreds of inmates at the maximum-security federal penitentiary in Beaumont who sued the U.S. government claiming officials did not evacuate them during Hurricane Rita and thereby forced them to endure inhumane, medieval conditions. While that legal battle wages on, Norman…
Seven Things We’ll Miss About The Houston Comets
Shocking news this morning — the Houston Comets are no more.First reactions were predictable. “The Houston Comets were still around? Do tell.” But then reality began to sink in.The Comets won the first four WNBA championships at a time when no Houston team was winning anything. They brought joy to…
Seven Things We’ll Miss About The Houston Comets
Shocking news this morning — the Houston Comets are no more.First reactions were predictable. “The Houston Comets were still around? Do tell.” But then reality began to sink in.The Comets won the first four WNBA championships at a time when no Houston team was winning anything. They brought joy to…
It’s Britney, Bitches!
Her career has already withstood more train wrecks than Amtrak, and now it looks like Britney Spears is on the upswing one more time. Spears’ new single “Womanizer,” the lead single from her Circus album (dropping today), which she performed today on Good Morning America (above), is a recent Billboard No…
Seven Things We’ll Miss About The Houston Comets
Shocking news this morning — the Houston Comets are no more.First reactions were predictable. “The Houston Comets were still around? Do tell.” But then reality began to sink in.The Comets won the first four WNBA championships at a time when no Houston team was winning anything. They brought joy to…
One-Fifth of the Way In, Whither the Rockets?
With about 20 percent of the season concluded, the Rockets’ 11-7 record appears at first blush to be maddeningly inconsistent. But I think it’s a lot easier to explain than it may seem. One way to measure the future success of the team based on its current record is to…
One-Fifth of the Way In, Whither the Rockets?
With about 20 percent of the season concluded, the Rockets’ 11-7 record appears at first blush to be maddeningly inconsistent. But I think it’s a lot easier to explain than it may seem. One way to measure the future success of the team based on its current record is to…
Come On Aggies! Cheer For The President! He’s Almost As Good As Your Football Team!
It’s not easy being a George W. Bush supporter these days. Even at Texas A&M.The Aggies, of course, have the somewhat dubious honor of having Bush deliver a speech to their December graduates. If there’s anyplace in the US outside of Utah, or maybe Kennebunkport, where this event would go…
Get Lit: Beatles for Sale by John Blaney
Another Beatles book? Doesn’t the world already know everything it possibly can about the Fab Four, from the nickname of their favorite Hamburg pill dealer to the mustache style of the cab driver who took George through the streets of Rishikesh? Well… no. And as long as interest in the band…
Wine Time at Nundini Imported Food Store
One of my favorite fun things to do on a Friday night is pop over to Nundini on Shepherd for one of the food store’s wine nights. There are (mostly Italian) wines in all price ranges and you’ll meet some fun people. I always pick up prosciutto and bleu cheese,…
I’m Pretty Sure Balki Was Supposed to be Gay
Is it, like, horrible of me to say that I think Balki on Perfect Strangers was supposed to be gay? I mean, did you buy the straight part? Larry Appleton, okay. He was a straight guy who couldn’t get women. That I could understand seeing as he was a total…
R.I.P. Jerry J. Moore, In The Obscurity He Hated
A Houston businessman who makes the Forbes 400 list of richest people twelve times, who gained fame for his large and luxurious car collection….a guy like that dies, you kinda expect the Houston Chronicle to notice.But apparently not.Jerry J. Moore died November 23 and, as best we can determine, the…
Who Knew Jacques Reeves Was So Awesome? A Jaguars-Texans Pregame Report
I’ve got to apologize to everyone. I didn’t know that I was an idiot. I honestly thought that I actually knew something about football. But thanks to the Chron’s John McClain, I now know that what I thought I knew I didn’t know. Seriously. You see, I thought that Jacques…
Who Knew Jacques Reeves Was So Awesome? A Jaguars-Texans Pregame Report
I’ve got to apologize to everyone. I didn’t know that I was an idiot. I honestly thought that I actually knew something about football. But thanks to the Chron’s John McClain, I now know that what I thought I knew I didn’t know. Seriously. You see, I thought that Jacques…
SXSW 09 Imminent Already? Aaaarrrgh!
St. Vincent, “Jesus Saves, I Spend” The 2009 South By Southwest Music Festival is still nearly four months away (March 18-22), but the first performers are already being announced. When Rocks Off saw this list on Friday, after we had been gorged senseless the day before, we shuddered. “Too soon!” we cried…
Local TV Anchors — The Legends Are Disappearing
The New York Times reports today that the veteran anchor, the mainstay glamor position in local TV news, may become a thing of the past.Falling ratings, slashed budgets and the obsession to woo young viewers all has management axing legends who have been around for years in their market.(The Times…
The Bank Robbery Record Has Been Broken!
Last year was a banner year for bank robberies in Houston, more than doubling the number from the year before.But last year’s record has already tumbled, and we’ve still got a month to go.Doing their best to help in that effort are the robbers who keep hitting the IBC branch…
First The Hurricanes, Now The Grassfires, Soon The Locusts
Now that hurricane season is over, the weather gods have another trick up their sleeves, or whatever garments weather gods wear — grass fires.Officials from Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend counties issued a warning this afternoon to look out for brushfires.”Until today, grass fires in this area have been relatively…
Area Man Keeps Houston’s Name In Steroids Spotlight
Juan Carlos Ballivian, a personal trainer in Houston, was sentenced last week to three years probation for dealing steroids, ending a federal investigation of a network of dealers in Texas.The investigation originally targeted professional athletes, and David Jacobs — one of the first dealers arrested — was linked to the…
Where Is It? (Inflated Bandito)
Anyone out there know where this photo was taken? Leave your best guess in the comments. — Jay Francis…
Texas Pols, Make Sure Those Checks Have Cleared — It’s Bankruptcy Time For Bo Pilgrim
Ah, Bo Pilgrim — it takes a tough man to go from passing out checks on the floor of the Texas Legislature to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but you’ve done it.Pilgrim’s Pride, the toast of Pittsburg, Texas, announced today that it’s seeking bankrputcy protection “in an effort to address…
Don’t Work — It’s Cyber Monday!
Thought the holiday uber-shopping craze was limited to Black Friday? Welcome to Cyber Monday.Admittedly, the day was first a gimmick by Shop.org (they coined the term back in 2005), but over the years, more and more stores have jumped on board and as many as 82% of online retailers are…
Whine All You Want, Longhorn Fans
Let the whining commence. You know, that whining about the Texas Longhorns being screwed by The Man. It all started on Friday when Richard Justice talked about how the Horns were forced to run up the score on the Aggies in order to prevent the injustice of Oklahoma being ranked…
Whine All You Want, Longhorn Fans
Let the whining commence. You know, that whining about the Texas Longhorns being screwed by The Man. It all started on Friday when Richard Justice talked about how the Horns were forced to run up the score on the Aggies in order to prevent the injustice of Oklahoma being ranked…
Sam Houston’s Not The First Politician To Be In A Cheesy Ad
If you needed any more evidence that Comcast was an agent of evil on par with Al Qaeda or whomever makes those peanut-butter-filled pretzels, look no further than the cable company’s inescapable local commercials featuring Sam Houston. The former Texas President/Governor is shown engaging in a variety of “hip” and…
Texas Tailgating: Monday Night Football
This is it — the Big Night of Tailgating in Houston. Monday Night Football is in town and our top tailgating teams will be putting on a show. Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, it’s worth taking the train to the Reliant Parking Lot just to take…
Texas Tailgating: Monday Night Football
This is it — the Big Night of Tailgating in Houston. Monday Night Football is in town and our top tailgating teams will be putting on a show. Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, it’s worth taking the train to the Reliant Parking Lot just to take…
Texas Tailgating: Monday Night Football
This is it — the Big Night of Tailgating in Houston. Monday Night Football is in town and our top tailgating teams will be putting on a show. Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, it’s worth taking the train to the Reliant Parking Lot just to take…
Couple Sues Over Background Checks At Their Kid’s School
You can hardly visit your kid’s school these days without handing over your license to have a background check done to make sure you’re not some child-raping murderer.It can be a bit of a hassle if you’re, say, a conscientious parent who may not be the most legal resident of…
Turning the Screw: G.R.I.T. Boys, Scarface, Lil Wayne, The Kanye, Jay-Z, Shawty Lo, Superhead, Serius Jones and More
Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off’s weekly rap post. It probably won’t rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: G.R.I.T. Boys, “One Night Stand” Wire To Wire Scarface’s latest – and, apparently, last – album, Emeritus, is out tomorrow. Buy…
Over the Weekend: Shadow Bar, La Carafe, Houston Aeros and Twitter
Welcome to December, ladies and gents. We’ve got some holiday surprises planned for later this month, but we get going with some classic weekend coverage. 12:45 a.m. at Shadow Bar and 1:30 a.m. at La Carafe What’s bar-hopping without variety? We went to two very different places on Saturday evening…
Today: Swishahouse Hip Hop Health & Wellness Workshop
It’s World AIDS Day, and although you don’t hear near as much about it these days, the disease is still very much with us. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, in 2006 – the most recent year for which statistics are available – Harris County had the state’s most…
Houston Aeros Leave November on High Note
Photo by Fred Trask Krys Kolanos scores the game-winner. Morton Madsen is not exactly the first person one thinks of when thinking of great Houston Aeros pugilists. Yet it was Morten Madsen who received the game puck after Sunday’s 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals, and it was Madsen who…
Houston Aeros Leave November on High Note
Photo by Fred Trask Krys Kolanos scores the game-winner. Morton Madsen is not exactly the first person one thinks of when thinking of great Houston Aeros pugilists. Yet it was Morten Madsen who received the game puck after Sunday’s 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals, and it was Madsen who…
Don’t Let The Doorknob Hit You In The Ass On The Way Out, 2008 Hurricane Season
As of 12:01 a.m. today, the 2008 hurricane season is over. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any more hurricanes, it just means when they occur we’ll be told what a surprise they are.As a practical matter, of course, Texas is largely free of hurricanes once you get into late…
Not Quite the Crowds We Expected at Rice Village or the Galleria
After all the hype of the past week leading up to Black Friday, we decided to venture out into the world of massive sales and astronomical blowouts and deeply discounted electronics. But where’d you all go? Did we miss all of you? Did you already head home to make Turkey…
The Best Christmas Gift Idea Evar
Thanks to Idolator, Rocks Off nearly had a stroke when he saw Mattel’s new “Goth Punk Barbie,” available exclusively at the Hard Rock Cafe’s online Rock Shop for the not-so-low, low price of $70. Bitchin’ lemon-yellow guitar sold separately, though this bad-girl Barbie does come with her own stand and, ahem,…
Something Fierce Readying New Album
If you’ve been wondering what local power-punks Something Fierce have been up to, it’s laundry. Well, at least that’s what members Steven Garcia and Niki.7 were busying themselves with when Rocks Off called to ask about them about new album There are No Answers. We always wondered how they kept…
Late Delivery for Yesterday’s Super Thick Chron
If there’s one day when putting out a paper version of the newspaper is really important, it’s Thanksgiving. Over at the Houston Chronicle, customer service rep Cathy Elizondo tells Hair Balls that the paper sells more advertising for that edition than any other day of the year. Readers call the…
Feel-Good Shopping in Houston
You can make Black Friday more meaningful by putting your shopping dollars to good use at local non-profits and independent stores. Freak out your drunk friends with a set of Ghost Goblets. These hand-blown tumblers feature a wineglass inside. Get these, along with other arty presents, at the Museum of…
OSHA Fines Goodyear $67K After Death of Employee
Five months after a Goodyear employee died following an explosion at a tire and rubber chemical plant in southeast Houston, the feds have issued a rash of citations to the factory for failing to safeguard its workers. But when it’s all said and done, the fines would cost the company…
Nine Things Not to Be Thankful For
I understand that yesterday was Thanksgiving, and that we’re supposed to be all thankful and everything. But seriously, did any of you watch those football games? How can a person be thankful after being subjected to nearly 11 hours of blow-out football? So in that spirit, I’ve put together a…
Nine Things Not to Be Thankful For
I understand that yesterday was Thanksgiving, and that we’re supposed to be all thankful and everything. But seriously, did any of you watch those football games? How can a person be thankful after being subjected to nearly 11 hours of blow-out football? So in that spirit, I’ve put together a…
Slideshow: Uptown Holiday Lighting on Post Oak Boulevard
Reindeer, Carmen Miranda, Mrs. Claus and Santa himself flew into town yesterday, and Daniel Kramer got plenty of pics. – KP…
A Black Friday Soundtrack
[jump] Steely Dan, “Black Friday”The Smiths, “Shoplifters of the World Unite”The Kinks, “Dedicated Follower of Fashion”De La Soul, “Shopping Bags”Pet Shop Boys, “Shopping”The Clash, “Lost In the Supermarket”…
Finding The Best Christmas Lights In Houston (And We Don’t Mean “Tasteful”)
Every year, we scour the papers and Internet looking for Houston’s definitive guide to spectacular residential Christmas lights displays, and every year, what we find what comes up a little lacking. A handful of neighborhoods are invariably cited, and we’ve already been to most of them. There’s the Prestonwood subdivision…
Black Santa for Black Friday
If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that The Man wants to control every aspect of American culture – including how we celebrate Christmas. The Man made Jesus white, even though J.C. was born in the mid-east. The three wise men? White, white, and white. Frosty the Snowman?…
A Juicy Cheeseburger at Saint Dane
The bacon cheeseburger at Saint Dane Bar & Grille at Elgin and Brazos starts with a frozen patty but somehow manages to stay moist and juicy. The onion rings are average, but the large cheeseburger comes with your choice of any side and sells for a mere $6. Watch for…
Five Spot: Axl Rose is Not Impressed by Dr Pepper’s Fun and Games
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every week, we’ll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it’s either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Back in March, Dr Pepper (easily one of our favorite doctors, right behind J., Scholls and Dre) set forth a…
Slideshow: HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade in Downtown Houston
Low-riders, art cars, SpongeBob, Santa Claus, D-list celebs, marching bands, stick-fighting Sikhs and plump Shriners in souped-up go-carts — where else could it be but the HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade? And although we lack quality photographic proof — amazingly, even Sheila Jackson Lee was there. Seriously!…
Welcome Back to Work…
So, the boss made you come in the day after Thanksgiving, huh? Yeah, and we’re guessing there isn’t a whole lot to do seeing as how everyone else’s boss gave them the day off. (Luckily for us, the news never rests! … or something.) Well, nod off not, Internet friends…
Happy Thanksgiving: A Totally Different Kind of Turkey
This is Ajda Pekkan, who, although she looks more like Suzanne Somers, is sort of like the Cher of Turkey. This song is called “Bambaska Biri” – the words may not be familiar, but Rocks Off thinks you might just recognize the tune. – Chris Gray…
Cutout Bin: Stryken’s First Strike
Chrystal Records, 1987) There’s the kind of album cover that is so obviously bad, it has to be a joke. Then there’s the kind that’s so much worse, it couldn’t possibly be a joke. First Strike falls into the latter category. Stryken was a Christian metal band from Austin. On this…
Happy Thanksgiving: John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey”
Some of you will be eating this for a while, Rocks Off supposes. – Chris Gray …
Thanksgivings of Yesteryear
On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1908, a classified ad appeared in the San Antonio Express for The Uneeda Dairy Lunch on Houston Street offering: Special Thanksgiving Dinner, 20 cents–Menu: Oyster soup, queen olives, celery, cole slaw, roast turkey with oyster dressing and cranberry sauce, creamed potatoes, sugar corn. English plum…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: Phil Lee’s So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You
Phil Lee & the Sly Dogs, “A Night In the Box” The inimitiable Phil Lee is not one of your grandma’s Nashville stars. No, he’s one of those barely discovered left-side-of-Nashville writers who probably doesn’t even know where Music Row is. On his third solo album, So Long It’s Been Good…
Thank You Lord, For These Thy Gifts: Five Movie Thanksgivings
Thanksgiving isn’t just about federally subsidized gluttony and a spike in domestic disturbance calls, it’s about slipping into a tryptophan-induced coma while watching TV. This year, instead of enduring another slapstick performance by the Detroit Lions, how about checking out a few Turkey Day themed movies?5. The Ice Storm (1997)…
Shooting Up the Bird, Redux
Photos by Julia Walsh To go Cajun, you gotta shoot up. Editor’s note: This is a reprint of a post written by Robb back in the blog’s salad days. Injecting a turkey with a great big hypodermic needle full of pepper sauce and spices had to be the weirdest Thanksgiving activity…
Classic Literature Book Club: Lolita
You know the story — an underage cutie named Lolita gets an older man all hot and bothered. But is that it? The Classical Literature Book Club is taking a deeper look at Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita, examining the ideas of sexual power, self–control and forbidden desires. Don’t worry, this…
Cafe Tacuba
Sino, last year’s effort by Mexico’s supreme “rock en español” group will grow on you, but that’s not necessarily a ringing endorsement. Café Tacuba made their name by fusing Latin American rhythms with American pop-punk sensibilities, but los tacubos have ditched their Mexican heritage in favor of shiny, shimmering music…
Battle for the Bayou Bucket
The Rice football team being on the verge of going to its second bowl game in three seasons is about as likely as the U.S. electing a black president — oh wait, that happened already, didn’t it? The Owls look good, believe it or not, and will aim to sic…
Owl Prowl
This is one time when sneaking around in the dark is perfectly acceptable — the Owl Prowl at the Houston Arboretum. The urban oasis is home to a variety of owls, including screech, great horned, and barred owls. You can see them in their natural nighttime habitats, swooping through the…
Stuff yourself with six bands on Thanksgiving Eve
Balaclavas turn their recordings into fits of rage. Onstage, the local threesome takes its tribal post-punk into a maddening frenzy of howls, distortion and feedback. Album tracks are twisted into barely recognizable versions before listeners’ ears, and the new product is even more adventurous. Fans of At The Drive In…
But Not Goodbye
Get your holiday mojo going at Main Street Theater with George Seaton’s But Not Goodbye, a sweet family treat from the same guy who wrote and directed the film version of Miracle on 34th Street. The story follows Sam Griggs, a lost soul who dies before his time and leaves…
Where Santa Shops: 2008 Print Sale
Looking for a unique Christmas gift? Try Rice University’s Where Santa Shops: 2008 Print Sale. You’ll find art created by students, Rice instructors, and even visiting artists. Something by an undiscovered student artist or a seasoned professional might be the perfect thing for that special someone on your Christmas list…
TXU Energy Turkey Trot
Before you sit down to stuff yourself with roasted turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce, think about participating in the 16th annual TXU Energy Turkey Trot. A good jog in the morning, before the first piece of cornbread is cut, might help you make up for that 5,000-calorie dinner you’re going…
“The Journey of a Chinese from East to West”
Contemporary Chinese art, laden with political imagery and bold abstractions, is all the rage right now. But most people know that China’s greatest art is rooted in the ancient practice of calligraphy, which is the tradition followed by watercolor painter Peihong Dong Endris. Born in the southeastern province of Zhejiang,…
Wild Winks Overnight
See the Houston Zoo in a completely different way during the Wild Winks Overnight. Amateur zoologists will enjoy behind-the-scenes tours, keeper chats, up-close encounters with some of the zoo’s tamer residents, and an in-the-dark walk to see the nocturnal side of animal life before you turn in and sleep under…
Buffalo Bayou Christmas Cruises
Santa turns boat captain for the Buffalo Bayou Christmas Cruise. You’ll see a special view of downtown’s holiday decorations and the lush banks of Buffalo Bayou during the 30-minute cruise. If you’re looking for something nontraditional to do this season, this might be just the thing. 4 to 8 p.m…
“Developing Houston: Photographic Treasures from the Cecil Thomson Collection”
See what Houston looked like in the early part of last century at the “Developing Houston: Photographic Treasures from the Cecil Thomson Collection.” Thomson was one of Houston’s first professional photographers, and his street scenes from the late 1920s to the mid 1950s capture the bustling city as it grew…
The Nutcracker Ballet
Russian dancers Marina Goshko is the Sugar Plum Fairy and Andrey Prikhodko is her cavalier in Houston Dance Theatre’s The Nutcracker. This is HDT’s 26th annual production of the holiday classic that follows a young girl, Clara, on Christmas Eve as she dances through a night filled with a charming…
Yarn People
Love all things yarn? Drop by the monthly Yarn People get-together and meet with other worsted enthusiasts to exchange handmade holiday ornaments. You’ll add to your own collection and meet other yarn-sters who share your passion for dye lots and filaments. Noon. Central Library, 500 McKinney. For information, call 832-393-1313…
Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker
We all know the story behind the ballet The Nutcracker: The Nutcracker Prince takes young Clara on a dreamy journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets, where she meets a slew of characters with delicious monikers — most importantly, the Sugar Plum Fairy. Okay, we understand…
Holiday Wishes
Playwright Alvaro Saar Rios gives a fairy a big job in Holiday Wishes, the story of two children who aren’t satisfied with the mountain of gifts they receive. To help them learn the true meaning of generosity and gratitude, the fairy takes them on a series of adventures (think a…
Theater 101 with Mildred’s Umbrella Theater
Have you been a fan of the offbeat Mildred’s Umbrella Theater? Well, now your kid can take acting lessons from the theater professionals in the group — for free! Theater 101 is a six-part class that will introduce students to acting and behind-the-scenes technical work. But this isn’t just theory…
The 12 Ways of Christmas
If holiday celebrations at your house consist of playing “Pull my finger” with Uncle Joe at the dinner table and arguing over which football game to watch on television, let the Ensemble Theatre’s annual production of The Twelve Ways of Christmas show you what you’re missing. Twelve Ways recounts a…
The Young Harmonies
Kids of all ages will enjoy an afternoon concert by the Young Harmonies at the Children’s Museum of Houston. Part of the museum’s Seasons of Sharing celebration, the Young Harmonies concert will feature a program of holiday music, including classical, gospel, pop and kid-friendly tunes. The citywide group is made…
Deerhunter
On the face of it, Atlanta’s Deerhunter are another bunch of smart kids who’ve decided to be an arty band that kinda rocks or thumps funkily, and in so doing have thrown the usual avant-garage essentials into their punky electronicized mess. At least, that’s the way things sounded on their…
A Christmas Carol — A Ghost Story of Christmas
The Alley Theatre helps melt the cheese factor in holiday happenings. The company’s annual take on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol — A Ghost Story of Christmas includes some voodoo flavor — perfect for those who are tired of the same old humbug hem and haw. Sure, Scrooge gets the…
Raymond Benson and Alan J. Porter
Hungry for more “Bond, James Bond” after the release of the new B-Man film Quantum of Solace? Authors Raymond Benson and Alan J. Porter are ready to give you a 007 fix at today’s reading and signing session. Benson will read from The Union Trilogy, his collection of three Bond…
Mostly Martha
The lackluster Catherine Zeta-Jones flick No Reservations didn’t make much of a splash, but the original film on which it was based, Sandra Nettelbeck’s 2001 German rom-com Mostly Martha, nailed the foodie-love story genre. The film, which screens today on the patio between Brasil and Domy Books as part of…
Larry D. Thomas
How do you go from counseling criminals to writing poetry? Ask Larry D. Thomas, Texas poet laureate for 2008. He’ll be making his first appearance of the year at today’s First Friday reading series. Thomas has been mixing criminal justice and writing for more than 30 years now. Mondays through…
Mixteco Ballet Folklorico
Jose Sada’s Mixteco Ballet Folklorico had to wait a few weeks to celebrate its sweet 16 thanks to Ike, but the storm is over and Fiesta Folklorica is back on. Last year’s celebration including flamenco and traditional Mexican folk dances from various regions, with musicians joining the dancers onstage. You…
Uptown Holiday Lighting
Get together with a few thousand of your closest friends at the annual Uptown Holiday Lighting. There’s live entertainment starting at 4 p.m. with the Houston Concert Band and Harbor Light Choir before Santa trips the switch at 7 p.m. and illuminates 80 Christmas trees lining Post Oak Boulevard with…
Home for the Holidays at Old Town Spring
The whole family will enjoy a Christmas from yesteryear at Home for the Holidays at Old Town Spring. Join in today’s Wine and Art Walk or enjoy strolling musicians as they perform Christmas carols. Horse-drawn carriages will provide tours of the town’s colorfully decorated vintage buildings. See some history at…
Piano Vines
Piano Vines are and aren’t locals. The boy-girl duo is split between the Bayou City and Austin (where else?). But despite the distance, band members Pam Cantu and David Howard manage to write pleasant pop that nods toward early ‘90s Chicago indie rock, à la Sarge’s Elizabeth Elmore. But Cantu,…
The Wind in the Willows
Toad’s lost his home and it’s up to his friends Water Rat, Mole and Badger to help him. But how far are they willing to go to save Toad Hall, especially since Toad isn’t in the most helpful mood? Find out if Toad gets to go home when HITS brings…
Joshua Goode: “Beside You in Time”
Joshua Goode has made ruins of his life. For his site-specific installation, “Beside You in Time,” he transformed the ArtStorm galleries into what looks like the remains of an ancient city. As viewers enter the gallery, they become anthropologists discovering a forgotten -culture. “[It’s] a new mythology,” Goode says. The…
Kinky Friedman
Houston’s getting Kinky again. The writer/politician/musician/activist/straight-talkin’-Texan Kinky Friedman is back in town to sign copies of 2008’s What Would Kinky Do?: How to Unscrew a Screwed-Up World. In addition to talking about politics, he’ll be discussing animals in need; besides his book, he’ll be pushing copies of the 2009 Utopia…
“Qatar Narratives: A Country Expressed by Its Own Voices”
Arabic tradition is interpreted by modern minds in “Qatar Narratives: A Country Expressed by Its Own Voices.” The exhibit features artists from the Arab Gulf Region who preserve the writings, teachings, images and history of their motherland in contemporary masterpieces. Ali Hassan and Manar Al Muftah incorporate characters from the…
“Once Removed”
At first, the gorgeous painted florals and nature scenes created by Ann Marie Nafziger for her latest gallery show, “Once Removed,” at Lawndale Art Center, seem reminiscent of those of Georgia O’Keeffe — O’Keeffe with a taste for brighter colors and a hint of graffiti. At once über-modern and sentimentally…
Thanksgiving Day Feast at Messina Hoff
You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner today. Let the folks at Messina Hof Winery serve up your holiday supper. They have a special four-course Thanksgiving Feast planned, with roasted turkey, glazed ham, grilled salmon and all the fixings. End the meal…
My Winnipeg
In the wacky mockumentary My Winnipeg, cult director Guy Maddin returns to his home city purportedly hoping that making a film about it will help him leave it behind once and for all. Once you get there, though, you realize that his vision of Manitoba’s largest city is hardly an…
HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade
What we now know as the H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade started back in 1949 when Santa drove his sleigh from Houston’s Union Station to a downtown department store. It’s a bit larger these days — quite a bit. So start your Turkey Day by checking out the parade’s hundreds of…
Wizard of Oz Sing-Along
The fabulous Judy Garland, a.k.a. Dorothy, and her yellow brick road companions frequently break out in song as they make their way to the Emerald City. Now you can join them at the Wizard of Oz Sing-Along. Don’t worry if you don’t remember the words — the lyrics are flashed…
A Little Day Music: The Fischer Duo
Say “Happy 100th birthday!” to French composer Olivier Messiaen during a free lunchtime concert in his honor today at A Little Day Music: The Fischer Duo. Now, don’t expect Messiaen to be at the concert; he passed away in the early 1990s, but the Fischer Duo will do their best…
A Fertle Holiday
Radio Music Theatre’s A Fertle Holiday has been selling out shows for more than two decades. That’s because the silly charmer is riotously funny and as sweet as the butter pie the characters of this story gobble up every season. The extensive Fertle family and their friends are all played…
“Echoes in the Ice”
Documentary filmmaker Rik van Glintenkamp explores the mysteries of the Arctic and Antarctic in “Echoes in the Ice.” The exhibit takes viewers through 500 years of polar history, with revealing looks at the brave (and sometimes bizarre) explorers who risked everything to reach the ends of the earth. 9 a.m…
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Okay, so the leader of a nation is living under delusions. He’s convinced that something that isn’t there, is. Too afraid to tell him the truth, his advisors go along with him. No, no, it isn’t an early Dubya biography. It’s the comedic production of The Emperor’s New Clothes at…
Downtown Holiday Walk & Rail Tour
Stroll through Houston turned into a winter wonderland during the Downtown Holiday Walk & Rail Tour. Sandra Claus (a.k.a. tour guide Sandra Lord) and her elves take you on a nighttime ramble with stops at the Discovery Green ice rink, the City Hall Reflection Pool’s Tree of Lights, and Landry’s…
Donnell Rawlings
Dave Chappelle may have pulled the plug on his brilliant sketch comedy show, but several members of his troupe are finding it good going on the road, including Donnell Rawlings. Best known for the catchphrase “I’m rich, biaaaaach!” as well as the recurring characters of ‘70s Jheri-curled Beautiful and Ashy…
Happy Thanksgiving: “Turkey in the Straw,” Donald Duck and Some Messed-Up Minstrel Shit
Surely the same as thousands – millions? – of other American children, this 1935 Walt Disney cartoon was Rocks Off’s first exposure to the spirited American folk melody “Turkey in the Straw.” And probably to Donald Duck, making one of his first onscreen appearances ever – note the elongated bill…
Single File
Beyoncé, “Diva”: I Am…Sasha Fierce — this Independent Woman’s latest multimedia event — is front-loaded with snoozy ballads one can fast-forward through without remorse; the party really gets going with “Single Ladies.” By “Diva,” wherein Beyoncé embraces the titular descriptor and equates it to being a hustler, she’s gone all…
Proposition Hate: Milk
Gus Van Sant has never been what you’d call a risk-averse filmmaker, but he directs his Harvey Milk biopic so carefully, there might be a Ming vase balanced on his head. Van Sant’s steps are deliberate, his posture is straight, his attitude is responsible and his eyes are fixed firmly…
Somewhere Over the Date Line in Australia
You don’t have to have been raised on colonial Brit Lit, classic melodramas, Westerns or war movies, or Gone With the Wind to figure out the likely outcome of Baz Luhrmann’s Australia within its first 15 minutes, but any or all of the above will help. Tightly wound and corseted…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Always…Patsy Cline, Beauty and the Beast, A Fertle Holiday, The Receptionist, Sunshine Boys
Always…Patsy Cline Stages Repertory Theatre’s favorite cash cow is back and as much fun as ever. Created by Ted Swindley, the Stages founding artistic director, 20 years ago, Always…Patsy Cline is one of the theater’s biggest crowd-pleasers. With the current two-woman cast, which includes the hilarious Susan O. Koozin as…
Witherspoon and Vaughn’s Yuletide Carol is Four Christmases Too Many
To brand, then dismiss, Four Christmases as a disappointment would be giving it too much credit — never, for a second, did this New Line Cinema cast-off scream or even whisper decent in the run-up to its opening. The story of couple Kate (Reese Witherspoon) and Brad (Vince Vaughn) —…
Shai Hulud
Few bands better embody the term “metalcore” than South Florida expats Shai Hulud. Founded in the mid-’90s by hardcore guitarists/record-store employees Matt Fox and Oliver Chapoy and propelled by the youthful exuberance of 14-year-old future New Found Glory guitarist “Little” Chad Gilbert’s vocals, Shai Hulud’s mid-tempo Slayer-esque riffage and Gilbert’s…
Fighting Cancer
Here’s yet another list that Texas finds itself at the bottom of: the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ report of how states have been spending (or not spending) the money they’ve been receiving from the landmark 1998 multibillion-dollar settlement with Big Tobacco. Texas comes in at 46, spending $12.6 million on tobacco…
Immigration Numbers, Immigration Writers
Dear Mexican, I hear all the time that 12 million illegal immigrants live in the United States. Is that true? Who counted them? How did they do it? Is there a turnstile at the border tallying up illegals and stamping their hands with neon glowing cartoon characters so they can…
Noise’s Handy Holiday Local-Music Gift Guide
Happy Thanksgiving, Houston. (Go Horns!) The holiday shopping season starts Friday, and considering the state of the economy, many of you loyal consumers are no doubt looking for a way to fill out your gift list without cooking your Christmas goose (or Hanukkah latkes), as it were. Luckily, Noise just…
Johnny Falstaff: Honky Tonkin’ Daddy, John Evans Band: Lucky 13, Kanude: Kanude
In the past month, three local artists have dropped albums either recorded at Sugar Hill Studios or with Sugar Hill connections. The pick of the litter is Johnny Falstaff’s Honky Tonkin’ Daddy, produced by John Evans and engineered by Sugar Hill vet Steve Christensen. It’s a rough-and-ready beer-joint collection that…
Turkeys of the Year
Everyone knows it — 2008 was a year of change. A black guy won the White House, for crying out loud. Would it be too much to ask that Houston be spared any no-brainer candidates for Turkey of the Year? Alas, when Houston was asked the question “Can you have…
Wilderness: (k)no(w)here
Wilderness guitarist Colin McCann’s spindly, twangy work owes a significant debt to Gang of Four’s Andy Gill, and between that and vocalist Jim Johnson’s atonal declamations, the band frequently draws comparisons to post-punk bands like the Fall and Public Image Ltd. It’s possible, however, to hear an entirely different set…
Workers Comp and Rescued Dogs
Insurance, defined: I wanted to write today and express my appreciation for all your work on the article “Bad Faith” [by Margaret Downing, November 13]. You are a good teacher, as I learned so much about the tactical battles that take place daily between injured workers and “insurance” companies. There…
Little Joy
It’s been nearly three years since the Strokes released a record; in the meantime, we’ve learned just how much talent is hidden behind front man Julian Casablancas’s yelp. Hot on the heels of Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.’s second solo LP comes Little Joy, a project showcasing the songwriting crafts…
In Flames, All That Remains, Gojira, 36 Crazyfists
This tour brings together four artists representing a range of approaches to the project of fusing death metal with melody and pop songwriting. Openers 36 Crazyfists have been together since 1994, but as bands from Houston’s so-called “cultural wasteland” will no doubt understand, their career path was impeded somewhat by…
Turkey Trot
In honor of Thanksgiving, the most gastronomically satisfying of U.S. holidays, some of Chatter’s favorite musical artists reflect on which 2008 songs they’re most grateful for. Tom Gabel, Against Me!: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “More News from Nowhere” — “The closing track off of Cave’s Dig Lazarus, Dig!!!,…
A Deadly Twist at Houston’s Crime Lab
After the death of Baldev Sharma, his widow, trying to get used to living alone, shoved all of his pictures away in drawers. A year later, Perveem Sharma pulled them out again. Now here they were, laid out on the dining-room table around the artificial flowers. The photos displayed several…
KICKS’S KICKTAIL
I’ve always been more of a sot than a jock. I was a bit curious about the giant indoor soccer facility in my old neighborhood, but when someone told me it had a full bar inside, I had to check it out. Some Americans don’t think soccer is a good…
Deerhunter’s New Double Album Strives for Elegance
Every musical era yields a few contentious, controversial malcontents with enough raw talent to back up their braggadocio, baggage and bullshit; this decade has already seen a handful. Producer/MC Kanye West is one; Deerhunter front man Bradford Cox is another. Since the Atlanta band’s 2007 breakthrough Cryptograms bum-rushed the indie-rock…
T.I.: Paper Trail
While other top MCs have had to create their own bogeymen to battle — Kanye has his ego, Eminem had ex-wife Kim, Lil Wayne has those cough-syrup Martians — T.I.’s got real problems. Released from house arrest and in the midst of 1,500 hours of community service, he still has…
New Goode Company Barbeque
“We’ve got about 9,000 square feet out here, and what’s nice about the country is that you have a little more room to work with.” That’s how Levi Goode describes his latest Goode Company Barbeque (20102 Northwest Fwy., 832-678-3562), which just opened in far northwest Houston. “We noticed that the…
The Music Man
When “Professor” Harold Hill of The Music Man arrives in River City, Iowa, he’s ready to fleece the rubes on the Fourth of July. His character is thoroughly all-American — a brash quick study with a glib tongue, a most convincing con man. But underneath, he’s a softie who peddles…
Nuevos Huevos at La Guadalupana Bakery and Café
You don’t often see croissants and sandwiches on a Mexican breakfast menu, but both are available at the little bakery and cafe called La Guadalupana on Dunlavy. My friend ordered an egg and chorizo torta (sandwich) out of curiosity. I got a sensational plate of “Machaca Norteña,” a combo of…
Janet Napolitano = Homeland Futility
Consorting with anti-immigrant enforcers, indulging rank opportunism, and adhering to failed policies seem an unlikely recipe for change we can believe in. And yet this very cocktail of mediocrity — stirred by an early endorsement of Barack Obama — has thrust Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano into the heady midst of…
Potent Cocktail at Guayaba Latin Grill
At Guayaba Latin Grill (1603 N. Westgreen Blvd., 281-829-2555), the ceviche de calamares sud americano ($8.95) is different from your usual ceviche. First, it’s made exclusively with squid and calamari pieces, with no shrimp or fish. Second, in addition to using lime as a marinade, this ceviche also has tomato…
Capsule Art Reviews; “Juan Andres Videla: The Unsaid Word,” “Machines, Buildings and Books,” “Proscenia,” “We the People…”
“Juan Andres Videla: The Unsaid Word” Argentine artist Juan Andres Videla presents old-school oil paintings on canvas in “The Unsaid Word” at New Gallery. The artist’s soft focus, moody urban scenes and barren institutional interiors are unpeopled. Night dominates the work, with a dog, his eyes glowing in the dark,…
Mo’s Place Is a Persian Palace
Mo Jeloudar doesn’t look anything like a cowboy. In fact, he appears to be the polar opposite — although you probably could’ve guessed that from his name. The typical cowpoke’s dirty-blond hair, dusty blue-green eyes and slightly sunburned white skin are replaced by Jeloudar’s slick black hair, thin, dark eyes,…
Bayousphere
Somewhere, Drayton McLane is waking up in a cold sweat and he doesn’t know why. Madonna undulates on a stage at Minute Maid Park (on a Sunday!), thereby providing thousands of gay Houston men with more thrills from a woman than they’ve received in years. No doubt McLane ordered his…
The Shredder
Felipe Galván y Sus Carnales: After your nap — and the Backyard Brawl, back where it belongs — dance off Thanksgiving dinner to Galván’s rock-steady sabor. (Thursday, Continental Club) Café Tacvba: Mexico City’s latter-day Pink Floyd barely had time to stash its Latin Grammys before returning. (Thursday, Arena Theater) Randy…
