Police Looking for Fred Durst Doppelgänger Linked to Sexual Assaults
Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are looking for a man who they say is preying on women in the Fifth Ward and is responsible for at least four sexual assaults in the past six weeks. While the police sketch may bear a strange resemblance to Fred Durst, the…
TQLA: Another Washington Avenue Restaurant Closes
If you’re looking for a place to eat on Washington Avenue, it might be more difficult than it used to be. A few weeks ago, Coppa Ristorante closed. Last week, we reported that Polovina was locked out for not paying the rent. (Houston Chronicle has since confirmed that it is…
Ryan Mallett to Start: Preparing for Change at Quarterback for the Houston Texans
This is one of those posts where I start off by giving the colloquial definition of “insanity.” Not the Webster’s meaning, in which it’s defined as “extreme foolishness or irrationality” (although that would certainly qualify for anyone continuing to trot Ryan Fitzpatrick out at quarterback). I’m talking about the definition…
93Q Country’s Recipe For Successful Radio
At some point during this evening’s CMA awards in Nashville, one of the presenters will announce Houston’s 93Q (92.9 FM) as the 2014 winner of the association’s Radio Station of the Year-Major Market division. It’s yet another piece of hefty hardware for the Cox Media Group-owned property, whose “Q Morning…
Texas Was Hardly a “Battleground” Last Night
Anyone hoping Texas’ deep red days were behind us got a big fat wakeup call last night. The AP called the governor’s race for Greg Abbott just an hour after the polls closed (not much of a surprise there), and as election results continued to trickle in, this much became…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Frédéric Perrier of Aura Brasserie and Coco Pazzo
Chef Frédéric Perrier has owned, co-owned and cooked in Houston area restaurants for more than 20 years. He developed a fan base and garnered critical acclaim with his inside-the-Loop restaurants Grille 5515 and Perrier Café. In time, the rigors of driving to his home in Missouri City night after exhausting…
Texas Is Seeing Red: The Best (and Worst) Election Night Twitter Rants
The texas governor’s election results map. Turn Texas blue? *snort* #tcot #Texas #ByeByeWendy #TexasElections pic.twitter.com/7B0sNa6UUQ— ThreePercenter (@jon_jononymous) November 5, 2014 Well, it appears that Texas is remaining awfully red. At least for the next four years or so, anyway. With the results of last night’s elections leaning quite heavily in…
This Week in Food Blogs: Upscale Burgers and New Barbecue for the Northwest
Russell Weil at “Eat More Burgers” went to Vic & Anthony’s on Friday (the only day they’re open for lunch) to check out their burgers. They’re an affordable luxury at this high-end steakhouse. Although the restaurant has been known to occasionally produce some wicked, over-the-top variants (ghost pepper burger, anyone?),…
[Video] Meeting the People of the 2014 Halloween Montrose Crawl
Costumes have been packed away. Leftover candy is being consumed. Thoughts are turning toward Thanksgiving. After weeks of anticipation, Halloween has come and gone. Sure, between now and then there will be other costumes parties and cosplay conventions and other excuses to dress up, but Halloween is the big day,…
The 10 Best Acts of Voodoo Music Experience 2014
The 16th annual Voodoo Music + Arts Experience has come and gone, leaving the rich taste of Hurricanes and filé gumbo in our mouth and the sweet sounds of Foo Fighters, OutKast, Arctic Monkeys and the rest of the festival’s stacked lineup. Taking over New Orleans’s City Park every Halloween…
College Football Playoff Rankings, Our First Judgment Day Is Nigh
Prior to and even after the inception of a college football playoff (which would be given the creative proper noun name of College Football Playoff), the naysayers said that expanding the postseason to four teams would cheapen the regular season, that games would become less meaningful. And as anyone with…
100 Creatives 2014: Dominique Royem, Symphony Orchestra Conductor
Dominique Royem, Music Director of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra as well as Music Director and Conductor of Bayou City Concert Musicals, was in college when she conducted her first orchestra. As part of a class, she conducted “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place” from the Brahms Requiem. “I had…
Texas Man Plays the Ebola Card to Dodge Jail (It Didn’t Play Well)
Nobody wants to go to jail, but some people are willing to go that extra mile to try and avoid being behind bars. And sometimes, every so often, there’s an extra-special almost-brilliant type who comes up with a get-out-of-jail plan so brazen that all the rest of us can do…
Houston’s Historic Starday Records: The Earliest Singles
In 1952, Houston jukebox operator and record distributor Harold “Pappy” Daily and Jack Starnes, Lefty Frizzell’s manager, formed their own record label. A combination of both men’s names, the tiny Starday actually began recording operations in Starnes’ house in Beaumont and released its first 45, Mary Jo Chelette’s “Gee It’s…
Bored With Bread? Try These 5 Savory Waffle Sandwiches
In partnership with fried catfish and chicken wings, waffles have transcended the realm of sweet to become a bona fide savory breakfast and brunch dish. There’s still work to be done, however, to expand their presence at other non-matutinal meals. Houston institutions like The Waffle Bus have done an excellent…
The Fall Season’s 5 Best New Series and Its 5 Biggest Disappointments
There’s more television today than at any other point in the medium’s history, but there’s a good chance you’re stuck in a TiVo rut. That’s because, with a handful of exceptions, this fall has delivered a truckload of mediocrity and dead-on-arrival trends. (Goodbye, “rom-sit-coms” like the already canceled A to…
Desperation Setting in With WWE and Their WWE Network?
There was a time, back in the ’80s, where if you asked any of the young WWE (back then called the WWF) fans how much they would pay to be able to watch essentially any relevant moment in WWE history any time they wanted to from any computer or smart…
Anthrax’s Scott Ian Spins Tales From the Thrash Side
Like many men currently in their mid-to-late forties, Anthrax co-founder/rhythm guitarist Scott Ian was a huge, practically obsessive KISS fan growing up. “My KISS window was about ’75-’78, when I was 11 to 14 years old,” Ian says. “The older kids all hated KISS because they thought it was only…
Slipknot Is Back…But Who’s Buying?
Last month Slipknot rose from the ashes, releasing their first new record since 2008 and their first since losing drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. .5: The Gray Chapter is currently being praised as a return to form for the band, going back to the roots of their more…
Pat Robertson Says God Has This Creepy, Violent Message for Houston
Following the City of Houston’s ill-advised move to subpoena a bunch of local pastors, we were treated to a smorgasbord of outrage. On one end of the spectrum, the Chron’s more mild-mannered editorial board called the subpoenas “Orwellian.” Glenn Beck, meanwhile, rage-wept that the situation was “more dangerous to the…
Adrian Peterson Will Reportedly Plead No Contest to Misdemeanor
The NFL’s horrific spate of off-field crimes, and the subsequent public relations disasters that came along with them (through both the sheer quantity and the violent nature of the incidents, as well as the botched handling of them by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell), are well documented. Ray Rice and Adrian…
Texas Children’s Is Studying a Seizure Drug Derived From Marijuana
Houston now has an unlikely new pot dealer. Well, sort of. This month, Texas Children’s Hospital will break new ground in medical marijuana research, starting an FDA-approved clinical trial of Epidiolex, an experimental marijuana-based pharmaceutical used to treat seizure disorders. The clinic trial is the first of its kind, and…
Così fan tutte Proves the Battle of the Sexes Is Nothing New
The set-up: If you want to know all about sex, why read Masters and Johnson when you can go to the opera and hear Mozart. What better primer than Così fan tutte (1790), the third collaboration between Mozart and urbane librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. The masterpieces Marriage of Figaro and…
Frustrated Andre Johnson: “I Just Need to Go to an Island or Something” (w/ AUDIO)
For Andre Johnson, 2014 and the subsequent next few seasons are about two things — getting in the best possible position to win a Super Bowl and putting together a few more stellar individual seasons to help fortify his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If you’re reading…
Joshua Bell: “Everything’s Just Right”
Go ahead and clap between movements if you want to. Violinist Joshua Bell says he doesn’t mind. Of course, this is a guy who has twice played in Washington D.C.’s Union Station, so he’s not your usual classical music purist. (The first time he played in Union Station was in…
¡Viva Monterrey! Exploring Mexico’s Pa’l Norte Music Fest
The 2014 Pa’l Norte Music Festival took place in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico over Halloween weekend, with headliners such as Los Tigres Del Norte, Snoop Dogg, Juanes, Foster the People, Molotov and more. Rocks Off’s Marco Torres was on hand to capture the highlights. One of the joys of working…
The Best Free Indoor Playground in Houston Just Got Better
When I had the chance to rank the best indoor playgrounds in Houston the set-up at the Memorial City Mall stood out the most. So when it was announced that the play area would be closed and dismantled to be replaced with a new one, it left me wondering whether…
Starting a Liquor Cabinet: Scotch
I’ve spent the past year drinking a lot of whiskey, as I decided to become, if not an expert on the subject, at least someone who could plausibly offer recommendations to others. Much of my work has appeared here in the Press, although I’ve done plenty of it on my…
UPDATED Constable Victor Trevino Rejects Sweetheart Deal, Then Pleads Guilty to Felony After One Day of Trial
Harris County Precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino could’ve skated by four felony indictments by simply resigning, accepting a slap on the wrist, and copping to the equivalent of a traffic violation. But Trevino rejected the deal offered by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office early this year, opting instead to…
Review: Georges Bistro Offers Traditional French Food Without the White Tablecloths
The house-made pâté du chef at Georges Bistro comes in a small glass canning jar. Its petite appearance belies what sits within: A very generous four-inch slab sliced into six tranches of smooth, rich, mildly flavored yet oh-so-good pâté — plenty enough for two to share over a glass of…
Want Your Face on the Front Page of the Houston Press?
We’ve been running a series of online stories about Houston and how its different neighborhoods and people have developed over the years. Writer Chris Lane is ready to pull his Changing Face of Houston series together for a cover story, and we thought there’s no better way to show this…
Get to Know Your 2014-15 Houston Rockets
It seems like having a wheeler dealer as a general manager means reintroducing ourselves to the Rockets roster every season. Gone are some familiar faces from last year, replaced by some interesting choices and some youngsters. But, the big names remain and that is more important than anything. It is…
Recipe: Kit Kat Cake, or How to Get Rid of Extra Halloween Candy
If you’ve been saddled with the unconscionable burden of having leftover Halloween candy, this recipe is for you. If you can’t imagine how anyone celebrates Halloween without consuming all available candy, this recipe is also for you, though you’ll have to go to the grocery store to stock up on…
Spend vs. Save: The High and Low on Boots for Fall
You know what’s a terrible idea? Googling “best boots for fall” and then falling down that rabbit hole for eight hours. Nordstrom has a list, Vogue has a list, Glamour and Elle and Marie Claire have lists–and do NOT, under any circumstances click on the Pinterest fall boots board. You’ll…
The San Jacinto River Waste Pits Unleashed Toxins Into the River and, Residents Say, Their Bodies
After a series of storms in March 2012, John Bonta is sorting through the wreckage on his Highlands ranch, 20 miles east of Houston. He’s just gotten home from work when his wife, Pam, asks him to help her pick up a portion of the fence that had fallen during…
Doctor Who: The Doctor and I Explain School Shootings to a Five-Year-Old
Late last Thursday afternoon, I picked up my daughter from elementary school and went through her homework folder like I always do. This is where the school puts important notices for parents, and there happened to be one on that day. It read, “Dear parents. Tomorrow we will be conducting…
Upcoming: Alice Cooper, Big K.R.I.T., Caribou, Eyehategod, Merle Haggard, Volbeat, etc.
Alan Haynes: Sat., November 29, 8 p.m., $5. The Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club, 5731 Kirby, Houston, 713-523-9999. Alice Cooper: Sat., February 14, 7 p.m., $27 to $45. Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas, Houston, 713-225-8551. Allah-Las: With Tashaki Miyaki., Sun., November 16, 8 p.m., $10 to $14. Fitzgerald’s, 2706…
What Houston Lost to Finally Get the Rockets and Astros on TV Again
For two years, Comcast SportsNet viewers had sarcastically needled Bill Doleman, asking him why he didn’t dress more like his Houston Rockets studio show co-host, Calvin Murphy, whose flamboyant suits crashed nightly through every barrier of sartorial subtlety at warp speed. So it was appropriate, Doleman thought, in their final…
Try These 5 Awesomely Outrageous Burgers in Houston
It’s no surprise that we love us some burgers at Eating…Our Words. And while, sure, we could go talk about classic cheeseburgers — what’s the fun in that? Here are 5 Massively Outrageous Burgers to try: See also: Try These Five Monster Sandwiches Try These 5 Absolutely Loaded Pizzas Try…
A Lowly Peasant Crashes Ren Fest’s King Midas’ Ball
Somewhere off Farm-to-Market Road 1774, nestled in the woods about an hour and a half away from Houston, is a place called Todd Mission, Tex. You might not recall the name of the town sandwiched in between the “big cities” of Plantersville and Magnolia, but you’re well aware of events…
The Ugliest Indie Feud of 2014
Let’s assume you don’t follow the indie-rock blogosphere. You may never have heard of Mark Kozelek or his project Sun Kil Moon. Think of him as like an acoustic guitar-playing, folkie version of Trent Reznor; he’s a brilliant musician who performs under the name Sun Kil Moon. It’s a “band”…
It’s Okay Taylor Swift Is Skipping Houston
Never mind a pop star, there is probably not a single more overexposed human being on the planet right now than Taylor Swift. So why do so many people have a problem with her skipping Houston — at least at first — on next year’s “1989” tour? Easy. Swift is…
Houston Jilted by Taylor Swift’s “1989” Tour
That high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston now in the early planning stages can’t get here soon enough for fans of Taylor Swift, who this morning announced that next year’s world tour behind her brand-new album 1989 will include just about every major city in the continental U.S. except…
Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson: HERO Supporters “Will Be Destroyed”
Reality TV, duck calls and homophobia came to a head this weekend during the “I Stand Sunday” event at Grace Community Church, a protest thrown by conservative Christians in their fight against the “dark forces” and the “radical agenda” that is (apparently) sweeping our nation. Thousands of people showed up…
Psychedelic Furs & the Lemonheads at House of Blues, 11/2/2014
Psychedelic Furs, the Lemonheads, Night Drive House of Blues November 2nd, 2014 Each month, countless bands tour the United States on the nostalgia ticket. What these shows generally present is a fond recollection of a time when both the band and the audience were fresher and tighter; the concert experience…
Eagles 31, Texans 21: 4 Winners, 4 Losers
With 4:07 to go in the game, the ball sat on the four yard line. 4th down, 1 yard to go, the Eagles leading the Texans 24-21 and driving for a “nail in the coffin” score. If they get this first down, it’s first and goal at the three, and…
12 Things You Have to Explain to People Who Aren’t From Houston
All cities are saddled with misconceptions fostered by ignorance and popular culture, but we wonder if any city is more misunderstood than Houston. Even with all the positive publicity we’ve gotten over the last few years, it seems like dispelling myths about our city is an uphill battle that even…
Joel Orr and Two Star Symphony Reunite for Macabre Puppet Show
Ten years ago Joel Orr of the Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theater teamed up with a young Two Star Symphony to put together a unique musical puppet production based around Camille Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre. The show was a hit, but just one of the many steps both artists have taken in their…
Dish of the Week: Moussaka
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. See the complete list of recipes at the end of this post. Today, we’re looking into Moussaka. Moussaka is a dish made with layered eggplant, ground meat mixed with tomatoes and…
Defense Is Leading UH and Rice to Win After Win
The Houston Cougars throttled USF 27-3 on Saturday. The Rice Owls demolished FIU, getting the 31-17 win. Both teams move to 5-3 on the season and both are 3-1 in their respective conferences. It was the third straight win for UH, the fifth straight for Rice. And both teams return…
Doctor Who: “Dark Water” Is a Little Late on the Game
Let’s start off with something that may disappoint you, dear readers. I have nothing to say at this time about the revelation of Missy’s identity and what it means to the show at large. There’s still another episode for this all to resolve and I’m not entirely convinced that everything…
This Week in Food Events: A Chili Cookoff for Charity and Drinking Events Out the Wazoo
Monday, November 3 Shake Off the Afternoon Slump with Free Coffee From La Madeline Did that extra hour of sleep from the time change the night before just not do enough for you? La Madeline invites you to come have a cup of coffee on them today. Yes, you may…
Medical Marijuana Proves Promising for Kids from Cannabis Advocacy Group
The last we’d heard from Renee Petro, the Florida pot advocate whose story was highlighted in our recent feature on medical marijuana refugees, the pint-sized parent was still fighting to obtain cannabis for her son, Branden, a FIRES sufferer. Branden’s debilitating seizures were spiraling out of control, and like the…
Julian Casablancas + The Voidz at House of Blues, 10/31/14
Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, Team Spirit House of Blues October 31, 2014 Julian Casablancas is arguably one of the biggest rock stars of his generation. Though he’s best known as the lead singer of the Strokes, there’s something more to him that often gets glossed over and unappreciated. But…
The Pillowman: Where a Dark and Eerie Chill Extends Long After You’ve Left Theatre Southwest
The set-up: Halloween may be over, but its eerie chill lingers through mid-November at Theatre Southwest where a superlative production of Martin McDonagh’s dark and dank The Pillowman (2003) elicits icy shivers. These aren’t the jump-out-and-scare-you type of chills, although there are a few frights in the police-state interrogation room…
Eagles Win War of Attrition and the Game as Texans Fall at NRG Stadium
The Texans went into Sunday’s game against the 5-2 Philadelphia Eagles knowing they would be without middle linebacker Brian Cushing, who remains out with a knee injury, and rookie outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, unluckily (according to Coach Bill O’Brien) out with the flu. Had someone told them the Eagles would…
Gogol Bordello at Warehouse Live, 10/31/2014
Gogol Bordello Warehouse Live October 31, 2014 Gogol Bordello’s Houston fans came to Warehouse Live for a Halloween show. The band made sure it turned into a Dia de Los Muertos celebration by playing a set that flipped the calendar and was anything but dead. According to front man Eugene…
True or False? 5 More Common Food Questions Explained
Since I work around food, I occasionally encounter some strange bit of information that’s new to me, or realize that there are common misconceptions about certain food related things. That being the case, I thought it might be interesting to do another round up of “True or False” ideas about…
The Changing Face of Houston – Kingwood
Kingwood is located about 30 minutes northeast of Houston’s central core, and has long had its own identity as a “Livable Forest” in contrast to the more typically urban landscape that defines most of Houston. Kingwood is technically part of Houston, but its beginning as a separate community is very…
A Few Things Local Bands Should Know About Opening for National Acts
Your band has been playing shows for a while, and seems to be getting popular. Perhaps you’re still just rising stars on the hometown circuit or have hit the road a few times to try your luck at touring. Eventually, the day comes when you get a dream gig opening…
The 10 Best Texans-Eagles Rapper Tweets
Horrible Sunday for Texas Football. Cowboys fans…bring it in. http://t.co/5o3MvjmXHt— DJ December 19th (@DJAudiTory) November 2, 2014 The 2014 Houston Texans have a new coach, new players, new hope and the same dedicated fan base of Houston-based rappers. As in years past, they took to Twitter on game day to…
The Five Best Shows in Houston This Week: Rachael Yamagata, The Weeks, DFA 1979, etc.
Rachael Yamagata Fitzgerald’s, November 3 Rachael Yamagata’s thoughtful, well-bred take on adult pop clearly marks her as one of Carole King’s spiritual godchildren. Since her debut LP Happenstance appeared a decade ago, the 37-year-old Arlington, Va. native has landed her songs on scores of prime-time TV shows and is currently…
Vote and Get a Free Beer at The Bird House
The Bird House, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company and the upcoming Southern Goods restaurant from chef Lyle Bento and partner Charles Bishop want you to get out and vote in the November 4 elections. They are also willing to reward you for it with a free beer. The event is called…
Claims and Counterclaims, Complete With Lawsuit, in El Tiempo Land
Photo by Carla SorianoIt’s been a tough week for El Tiempo and their associates. It’s been a bad week for the Laurenzos. Earlier this week came the news that their El Tiempo 1308 Cantina on Montrose is closing within the next few months due the land being sold out from…
[Video] The Ghost Bikes of Houston
With Critical Mass launching off tonight at Market Square Park downtown, tensions are bound to be high between motorists and cyclists as bike enthusiasts swarm the streets. The controversial event, whose participants have been nicknamed “Critical Massholes,” has a reputation for holding up after-work Friday traffic, corking through red lights…
Arctic Monkeys at The Woodlands, 10/30/2014
Arctic Monkeys Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion October 30, 2014 Once this whole Ebola thing dies down a little, there are worse ways the Centers for Disease Control could spend taxpayer money than investigating the likely spike in the birth rate between now and the late-2013 release of the Arctic Monkeys’…
Here’s What You Can Do With That Extra Hour This Weekend
Hey, guys. Guess what? This weekend is the end of daylight saving time. Yep, it’s time to change your clock, and it’s not even the sucky time change where everything takes place earlier, either. On November 2, the clocks around the country will “Fall Back” at 2 a.m., none of…
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Fast Charging, Brilliant Screen Display and Fun for People Who Like to Handwrite Notes
Welcome to the fast-charging world of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Being the proud possessor of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which has made it possible for me to play Angry Birds on a really big screen anywhere I go (yay!) and to stay in constant touch with my office…
Mom Sentenced for Stowing Gun in Boy’s Backpack Because He Was Mean To Her Kids
A Conroe mom who attempted to get her boyfriend’s middle school son in trouble at school by stowing a gun in his backpack has been sentenced to prison for the crime. A judge sentenced 28-year-old Heather Hodges Thursday to three years in prison following her guilty plea on charges of…
Ex-Fire Union President Erased His Computer Weeks Before He Quit
The tumultuous back-and-forth between the local fire union and the Parker administration was punctuated last month by the abrupt resignation of Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association president Bryan Sky-Eagle, just 11 months into a three-year term. Discord within the ranks over Sky-Eagle steering the union in some very unpopular directions…
Earl Staley Tackles a Number of New Approaches in “The Resolution of Doubt”
Earl Staley is not only a prolific artist, he is also a most inventive one, either re-inventing himself or tackling new approaches in his art, exhibition by exhibition. His recent showing at Jung Center, “Reconstructions,” combined traditional portrayals of Greco-Roman legends with abstract over-painting to create a wondrous method for…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: Birdman
Title: Birdman Is This A Sequel To Condorman? Yes, in the sense it’s about a guy who played a bird-themed superhero in the movies. No, in the sense that — unlike Condorman — the movies in question grossed more than a buck-fifty, Rating Using Random Objects Related To The Film:…
The Pumpkin Beer Taste Test, Part 2
Fewer beers qualified for our stout/dark tasting than our ale competition, which is no surprise. Even so, the sheer number of strong, heavy, and dark beers we found available for our taste test is a testament to how many craft brewers are jumping on the pumpkin beer wagon and taking…
Rice Baskeball’s Rejuvenated and Ready to Start Anew
Mike Rhoades wants his players to embrace the unexpected. He wants them to rise to the challenge. That’s how things worked at his former stop, Virginia Commonwealth, where he was assistant coach to Shaka Smart. And now that Rhoades is the man in charge of Rice Owls basketball, he’s demanding…
The Melvins & Le Butcherettes at Warehouse Live, 10/30/2014
The Melvins, Le Butcherettes Warehouse Live October 31, 2014 The legendary band that has influenced many other legendary bands stopped in Houston Thursday on their way to play New Orleans’ Voodoo Fest. Now joined by former Butthole Surfers bassist JD Pinkus, lifelong Melvins Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover played with…
The Best Comics in October Part 2: Edward Scissorhands Returns
Each month the staff at 8th Dimension Comics picks out the best book to review. Yesterday we ran Part 1. Goners #1: Jacob Semahn has an interesting new book out from Image about a famous demon-hunting family. There’s not enough Belmont homages in the world for my tastes, and Semahn…
Houston Stylist Shay Blaché’s ‘Hidden Closet’ a Treasure Trove of Fashion
Model and stylist Shay Blaché doesn’t follow any fashion rules but one: every look should be unique. A social worker by day, this stylist is a fashionista around the clock. “I change my look all the time,” said Shay, dressed in a chic, patterned sheath dress and four inch black…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Halloween Bashes & Post-Halloween Hangovers
8th Annual Montrose Crawl @ Multiple Locations Friday, 7 p.m. Westheimer between Dunlavy and Montrose Get your costume ready and head over to Westeimer for Houston’s most epic Halloween Bar Crawl, where you’ll hit more than 11 restaurants and bars (and two food trucks) between Dunlavy and Montrose — including…
Houston’s Creepiest Unsolved Murder Mysteries
There’s nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned murder mystery, and when it comes to creepy cold cases, Houston has plenty of ’em to choose from. From the notorious I-45 “Killing Fields” to the grisly, gut-churning “Ice Box Murders,” the Bayou City has been home to some seriously disturbing, and unsolved,…
UPDATED Lyft Threatens to Leave Houston, Because $62 Is Just Way Too Steep to Make Sure Its Drivers Aren’t Criminals
See below for comments from Chelsea Wilson, Lyft’s public policy communications manager. Citing “expensive” new citywide regulations that mandate drug testing, fingerprinting and background checks for drivers, Lyft, one of the two app-based companies operating in Houston, says it would rather close up shop than comply. The city’s new requirements,…
The Rocking Dead: Six Musical Zombies Who Survived Their Own Deaths
Rock and roll can be a scary thing, and not just on Halloween. The music industry is populated by more sunken-eyed ghouls than a dozen haunted houses, and most of them will not hesitate to fuck your girlfriend. Some of the best of ’em die way too soon — and…
100 Creatives 2014: Marc Boone, Sneaker Gang Founder and Designer
Marc Boone’s a self-admitted sneaker-head. Boone grew up in what he calls “the hood,” where he was “surrounded by thugs and drugs.” He wasn’t a member of a gang back then, but here recently he started one: the Sneaker Gang. The tag’s a bit of a misnomer; Sneaker Gang is…
Upcoming Events: Perfect Pairings and a Beer Race
Chef Tony Vallone and his team have put together the menu for his last Italian Regional Cuisine Dinner of 2014: Una Serata Milanese: an evening in Milan at Ciao Bello. The five-course meal — which features four wine-pairings and classic Milanese dishes like branzino with mussels and fennel, oxtail-stuffed pasta…
College and Pro Football: This Weekend’s Best Bets
0-6 last week. Not much else needs to be said. It was a trip down memory lane, as last weekend I reprised memories of 2013, a season in which I was historically awful at picking winners of football games against the spread. Now I’m totally freaked out, to where I…
Openings & Closings: Real Estate Realities Vs. El Tiempo 1308 Cantina
When other parts of the country have suffered economic downturns in recent years, Houston’s economy has fortunately remained stable. One ironic and sad side effect of that durability is the climbing real estate prices. There are more profitable things that landowners can do than lease restaurants. As reported yesterday, El…
The 5 Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: The Noche de los Muertos Celebration, Byron Stripling and More
The 3rd Annual Mediterranean Film Festival adds films from Spain this year. Organized by the Houston-area consulates of Croatia, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Spain and Turkey, and in conjunction with Rice University Media Center, the festival screens several films from the region including an adult retelling of Snow White and…
Meet Three Bands Who Love Playing Houston
Houston’s music scene is arguably experiencing one of its most sumptuous moments ever. Local acts showing great promise are as voluminous and interesting as our town’s food trucks and, similarly, have whet Houstonians’ growing appetites for live music. We’re out there sampling more morsels of good stuff than a famished…
The 35 Best Houston Concerts Left in 2014
King Diamond House of Blues, November 5 Go ahead and start comparing prices on quality earplugs, because King Diamond, the top-hatted, face-painted ghoul with the cochlea-shattering falsetto, is returning to Houston at long last in November. The Danish metal icon isn’t skimping on the production values this time around, either: The King has promised to bring…
The New Foo Fighters HBO Series Is Pretty Great
It makes sense that the first two episodes of the new HBO series Sonic Highways, chronicling the recording of eight songs in eight separate cities for the Foo Fighters’ forthcoming album of the same name, would take place in Chicago and Washington D.C. Both represent a sort of homecoming: the…
The 10 Best Concerts in Houston This Weekend: Discoween, Hogleg, Bleachers, Lemonheads, etc.
Discoween Continental Club, October 31 Halloween falls on a Friday this year, and I have the perfect costume: I’m going as Sia, so look for me wearing a platinum-blonde wig and standing in a corner with my back to everyone at the Continental Club, where Disco Expressions and the Allen…
Polovina’s at 4500 Washington Avenue Is Locked Out
We just received word that Polovina Italian Cafe has been locked out by its landlord, allegedly for non-payment of rent. A sign on the door posted on the door says new keys will be issued once payment is made to the company handling the rent. In September, Joanna O’Leary wrote…
First College Football Playoff Ranking Is Out, What Does It Mean?
Since their inception however many decades ago, college football rankings have been inherently flawed. They’ve been constrained by everything from the “watch habits” of their constituency to their early-season release leading to uninformed narratives. We always thought to ourselves, “Man, wouldn’t it be nice to have a college football poll…
“Evidence” Shows Off a Variety of Work With Wit at d.m. allison gallery
The d. m. allison gallery presents both emerging and established artists, and manages to exhibit a great number of works, somehow attractively arranged, in its fairly intimate space. Wit is often in play, as well as innovative approaches. What is truly beautiful can be decorative as well, and can rise…
American Horror Story: Freak Show: The True Darkness
I can honestly say I have never seen an episode of any television show quote as perfect as last night’s American Horror Story. It was a triumph of atrocity, and somehow it managed to have a happy ending on top of it. It’s the conclusion of the Edward Mordrake saga…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Kevin Naderi of Lillo & Ella and Roost
In Part 1 of our chat with Kevin Naderi, he related a fond memory of the special Persian dinners he made at Roost alongside his mom and grandmother. Does cooking run in the family? In Part 2, we find out and along the way delve into some deeper issues that…
The Best Comics in October Part 1: Harley Quinn Makes a Friend
Each month the staff at 8th Dimension Comics picks out the best book to review. Check out Part 1 here. Axis #3: Yet another X-Men/Avengers mega-event? It always seems weird to me that Marvel spends so much of its time making great personal stories but just can’t seem to not…
Attorney Says Judge Denise Collins Unlawfully Detained Her
A Houston criminal defense lawyer says she’s filed a complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct alleging that Judge Denise Collins unlawfully detained her as she tried to speak with her client. Cheryl Irvin says Collins shouted at her after she walked into the 208th District Court to speak…
6 Tips for a Parent Making Separate Meals for Everyone
Maybe you’re one of those people that makes the family dinner and says, “This is what we’re having. If you don’t like it, you don’t eat.” I admire that sort of fortitude, but I am paying a penance form being a picky pain in the ass as a child. Now…
5 Famous Texas Ghosts
Halloween is upon us, and with it a chance to tell stories of ghosts and other inhabitants from beyond the veil. We’ve already looked at some of the best haunted locations that you could road trip to in the state. Today we take a brief glance at some of the…
The 5 Best Happy Hours in the East End
If you love happy hour as much as we do, you’ll love this new series. We’re taking a look at the best happy hours in town, ‘hood by ‘hood. To narrow it down, we’re focusing on the spots with the best deals on not only drinks, but eats, too. From…
Four Houston Women Accused of Selling Young Girls in Local Brothels
Four Houston women have been arrested and accused of forcing underage girls into prostitution in apartments that doubled as illegal underground brothels on the city’s West side. 53-year-old Blasina Vargas, 63-year-old Luisa Vargas, 48-year-old Dolores Vargas and Ignacio Escandon are charged with three counts of sex trafficking of a minor,…
Zapruder Analysis of Portly Chevy Exec Butchering World Series MVP Presentation (VIDEO)
If you’re wondering where baseball ranks on the compelling, blog-worthy content scale for me (as a writer) right now, here is all you need to know: As I type this, we are less than an hour removed from the first Game 7 road win in a World Series since 1979…
A Much Overdue First Visit to Tony Mandola’s
As a self-identified “foodie” and food writer, there’s little excuse I can offer for never having visited Tony Mandola’s during my seven-plus years in Houston. “Mistakes were made,” as they say, and it was only a few days ago that my inaugural meal took place. Note, “inaugural,” not initial, because…
Six Must-Play Songs About Halloween
It’s the time of year when lots of people are putting together a playlist of songs for Halloween and Halloween parties, and plenty of spooky tunes to choose from. But rather than just throw on a bunch of novelty songs like “Monster Mash,” it might be more fun to try…
Five Fashion Books to Read Now
Whether you’re bored stiff with your current reading list, or getting a jump on your Christmas shopping, fashion fans will find a lot of delicious new literature at their local bookseller. We talk a lot about fashion, we watch a lot about fashion, and–according to celebrity stylist and Project Runway…
Dine Out on Turkey Day: Where to Eat This Thanksgiving in Houston
Thanksgiving is right around the corner — and if you aren’t planning on burning your house down with a turkey fryer (again) or you just don’t feel like cooking, you’re going to need some ideas on where to eat. Well you’ve come to the right place, friends. From casual options…
Police Release Video of Man Wanted for Questioning in CenterPoint Parking Garage Death
Houston police have released surveillance video of someone wanted for questioning in the death of a man who was found bludgeoned to death in a downtown parking garage on Sunday night. Police this week identified the victim as 27-year-old Cory Roussell, whose body was found at about 10:50 p.m. Sunday…
10 Places to Go in Houston Now that the Summer Is Over
I don’t know about you, but I treat summer in this city like our ancestors treated winter. I hide in the cave and emerge blinking once the hateful Rage-Sun has finally had a stake driven through its fiery heart. You can actually go outside now without taking a change of…
The Flaming Lips’ Shtick Is Getting Stale
Let’s have a talk about the Flaming Lips. The Oklahoma City band made their name in the ’90s alt-rock scene with “She Don’t Use Jelly,” but they were nothing like their contemporaries. Their history was checkered with intense experimentation, and that song was an outlier in their catalog. This sort…
All the World’s a Stage for Gogol Bordello
For Gogol Bordello, every day is Halloween. Leading up to Friday’s Halloween-night performance at Warehouse Live, front man Eugene Hütz says that his band of misfits doesn’t have anything specifically spooky planned, but that it would be out of character for them to bring anything less than their very best…
Frances McDormand Is an Unpredictable Curmudgeon in HBO’s Magnificent Olive Kitteridge
When we first meet the title character in Olive Kitteridge, she considers the revolver in her hands and looks up at the cloudless sky above the woods one last time. The 25-year journey (and the accumulation of mistakes and bad luck therein) that leads the elderly Olive to that moment…
Ophelia’s Rope and Friends
Ophelia’s Rope is an improv troupe formed by Autumn Clack and Ruth S. McCleskey. McCleskey says “Ophelia’s Rope want its audience to start their Halloween weekend off right by exploring their inner soul for an answer to ‘Who do you want to be?’ and then letting us make up a…
Michael and Elizabeth O’Brien: The Face of Texas
He’s an award-winning photographer who’s worked with National Geographic, Texas Monthly and Life. She’s a former reporter for Life. Husband and wife team Michael and Elizabeth O’Brien put their talents together to capture a bit of Texas history with the book The Face of Texas, a series of portraits and…
The War of the Worlds
About the time most candy-seeking hobgoblins are done wandering the streets for the night, Stark Naked Theatre is staging its second annual reading of The War of the Worlds, the 1938 radio broadcast that Orson Welles initiated drawn from the 1898 science fiction novel by H.G. Wells. Legend has it…
Houston Press Noche de los Muertos Celebration
It’s a party sure to raise the dead — the Houston Press Noche de los Muertos Celebration. Houston-based band La Sien (Houston Press Music Award Best Latin Act winner in 2013), provides its signature blend of Spanish rock, jazz, blues, funk and pop music for the celebration. Just five years…
Ragtime, Blues & All That Jazz
For the Ragtime, Blues & All That Jazz concert, the Houston Symphony trades Mozart and Wagner for Jelly Roll Morton and Muddy Waters. Principal POPS Conductor Michael Krajewski leads the orchestra in a swinging show that features trumpet player and singer Byron Stripling as the guest artist. Stripling has a…
I Think I Want a Divorce. 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! SHOULD I CALL CPS ON MY MOM? Dear Willie D: So we’re at the mall and…
3rd Annual Mediterranean Film Festival
The 3rd Annual Mediterranean Film Festival adds films from Spain this year. Organized by the Houston-area consulates of Croatia, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Spain and Turkey, and in conjunction with Rice University Media Center, the festival screens several films from the region including an adult retelling of Snow White and…
Nosferatu the Vampyre
F.W. Murnau’s harrowing 1922 adaptation of the Dracula legend, Nosferatu, the Symphony of Horror, has been described as evoking the bizarre. That’s an understatement. Just look at actor Max Schreck as Count Orlok: cadaver head, rat’s teeth, bat ears, eagle beak nose, claw hands, emaciated as a bone. Bizarre’s not…
Conversations with the Director: MFAH Director Gary Tinterow Talks with Michael York
It’s been more than 40 years since Bob Fosse’s landmark film Cabaret first hit the screen. The movie featured a trio of young stars, Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey and Michael York. Houston fans can hear York discuss his time making Cabaret and the rest of his quite varied career at…
Citizenfour Captures Urgent, Nerve-Racking History in Progress
Director Laura Poitras’s Citizenfour boasts an hour or so of tense, intimate, world-shaking footage you might not quite believe you’re watching. Poitras shows us history as it happens, scenes of such intimate momentousness that the movie’s a must-see piece of work even if, in its totality, it’s underwhelming as argument…
Joshua Bell
Go ahead and clap between movements if you want to. Violinist Joshua Bell says he doesn’t mind. Of course, this is a guy who has twice played in Washington D.C.’s Union Station, so he’s not your usual classical music purist. (The first time he played in Union Station was in…
Horns Lets Daniel Radcliffe Be Bad, But Not in a Good Way
Alexandre Aja’s Horns is the rare YA-ish romance that doesn’t make like a guidance counselor and force the characters to shake hands and forgive. It’s a biblically tinged, eye-for-an-eye vengeance thriller about an emo boyfriend named Ig (Daniel Radcliffe) whose childhood sweetheart Merrin (Juno Temple) has been murdered underneath the…
Bal-Trap
The French-speaking theater group Et Voilà Théâtre is presenting Bal-Trap, a new play by Xavier Durringer. The bittersweet drama, true to its Gallic origins, concerns the ups and downs and ins and outs of the pursuit of love. “Bal-Trap is about the small choices we make every day and how…
Nightcrawler’s Jake Gyllenhaal Aces Being an Everyday Media Monster
Jake Gyllenhaal, not a particularly bulky guy to begin with, dropped 20 pounds or so to play a Los Angeles misfit who finds his calling as a freelance crime videographer in Dan Gilroy’s nervy thriller Nightcrawler. Even when Robert De Niro does it, weight change isn’t acting — it’s the…
Così fan tutte
Don Alfonso, an old bachelor and, some would say, meddler, tells two young soldiers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, that women cannot be faithful. The soldiers argue that the women to whom they are betrothed, the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are indeed trustworthy. A bet is made and the soldiers enter into…
Capsule Art Reviews: October 30, 2014
“Jorge Marin: Wings of the City” This installation at Discovery Green has nine wonderful sculptures by an acclaimed Mexican sculptor; some are powerful, some playful, some enigmatic, but all are filled with a love for and an appreciation of humanity that is breathtaking and admirable. Though they represent a higher…
The Jewish Book & Arts Fair
The Jewish Book & Arts Fair has more than just author readings on the schedule. There are lots of films, performances and talks in the lineup. Opening the fair is comedy writer Alan Zweibel (November 1). Zweibel worked behind the scenes with Billy Crystal to help create the Tony-winning 700…
Capsule Stage Reviews: October 30, 2014
Marie Antoinette The ill-fated queen of France (Emily Neves) sashays down the halls of Versailles to a heavy techno beat. Gigantic neon fleurs-de-lis flash blindingly. Looking as tasty and pastel as any of those luscious macarons piled into a decorous pyramid on the acrylic table, she could be a classy…
Company
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, Company takes a bittersweet look at the age-old issues that alternatively unite and separate the sexes. Michael J. Ross stars as Bobby, a 35-year-old bachelor with three married couples as friends and several girlfriends, in a new production…
Table Dancing
Dear Mexican, Why do Mexican men think all us gabachas are like the girls in Bikini Car Wash? I am married, a conservative dresser, frankly not very goodlooking at all (but I do have blond hair, so maybe that counts for something on a guy’s internal whore-o-meter) and I speak…
The Who’s Tommy
Pete Townsend and Des McAnuff’s Grammy and Tony Award-winning rock opera, The Who’s Tommy, tackles the serious and unpleasant themes of childhood trauma, molestation and autism. But life isn’t all bad for Tommy, who becomes an unexpected celebrity as a pinball wizard. Soaring triumphs and international fame follow, and the…
How John Wick Restored My Faith in Violent Movies
This essay contains a spoiler or two for John Wick. There’s too much violence in movies today — too much of the wrong kind, though if you asked me what the “right” kind is, I would only be able to tell you that I know it when I see it…
“Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392–1910”
Christine Starkman, an organizing curator for the new exhibit “Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392 to 1910,” admits she has a few favorites in the show. One is a 16th-century porcelain bottle with a simple rope design. At just a little over 12 inches tall,…
The 11 Best Draped-Up Dirty South Songs Ever
Draped up and dripped out, know what I’m talkin’ ’bout? Much like Bun B, who wrote those lyrics, you do know what I’m talkin’ ’bout. And you also know that all things draped up and dripped out are badass, especially when they are songs from the dirty south. Whether it’s…
