UPDATED Guardian/Litigant Says Michael Brown Collapsed at Home, Not at Party
Michael Brown’s former right-hand man and current guardian Ray von Proctor has released a somewhat vague statement about Brown’s hospitalization. Contrary to recent reports by ‘unnamed sources’ Michael Glyn Brown collapsed at approximately 5:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday 24 October 2013 at his private residence in Miami, Florida. Dr…
Javier Alejo: Just 14 Years Old, Shot to Death Sitting Outside an Apartment
For some people, it doesn’t take long to find out just how mean some Houston streets can be. Javier Alejo, just 14 years old, was sitting on some steps in an apartment complex in the 8900 block of Beechnut about 8 p.m. last night when two men approached. Shots were…
John Snavely: From San Antonio to Porn Stardom to a Murder Charge
John Snavely was raised on the bad side of San Antonio, but he did have some assets, like a large penis and a willingness to use it. From dancing at Alamo City gay bars, he got recruited to star in gay and straight porn in Miami, earning big cash, taking…
Podcast: Thor’s a Bore, About Time, and The Right Stuff Turns 30
Photo by Jay Maidment – © 2012 MVLFFLLC. TM &2012 Marvel. All Rights Reserved. Thor: The Dark World just doesn’t compare to the 2011 original, in spite of its few redeeming qualities. That’s the consensus among this paper’s film critics on this week’s Voice Film Club podcast, available now. Listen…
This Week’s Cafe Review: Stuffing Meatballs and Filling Niches at the Casual and Good City Oven
Before I ordered, I got the inside scoop on City Oven from someone who works there. The appetizers and sides are generally great, she said, but the portion sizes are too small. The pizza’s not bad either, but the oven accommodates only three pies at a time, so sometimes there’s…
This Week in Food Blogs: Pecan Dressing (Or Stuffing) and Comfort Food Pizzettes
Zagat: Amber Ambrose polled Houstonians about which food fads they believe are overrated and underrated. While some of the responses for overrated trends won’t come as a shock (fusion cuisine, truffle oil and our city’s obsession with being underrated), it might surprise you that folks believe barbecue and ramen are…
Reality Bites: World’s Scariest Animal Attacks
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. “More zookeepers are killed by elephants than any other animal.” This little nugget of information offered during World’s Scariest Animal Attacks, Animal Planet’s latest warning shot of nature coming to…
David Avalos: Ex-Con Contractor Allegedly Up to Old Tricks
When we last met David Ringo Avalos, a San Antonio contractor with a history of civil judgments against him for ripping people off, as well as an open warrant for assault out of El Paso, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office had finally taken an interest in the complaints of…
Memories of Doomed Astrodome Flood Twitter
The plan to renovate the Astrodome didn’t pass muster with the voters last night, but that hasn’t stopped people from being heard in another way. The rejection of the $217 million plan makes it more likely than ever that the Dome gets turned into a parking lot. And so Houstonians…
A First Look at Little Dipper Bar: Unpretentious Charm and Laid-Back Atmosphere Abound
A first look at Little Dipper reveals just another neighborhood bar — a place where the drinks are cheap, the clientele is unassuming, décor lackadaisical and the service perfunctory. Sounds about right judging by the team that built and own the bar — the people behind Black Hole, Antidote, and…
Twerk Alert: Miley Coming to Toyota Center March 16
We knew it was coming — she announced it on SNL two weeks ago — but now Houston knows when it will collide with the “Wrecking Ball.” This morning Live Nation announced that Miley Cyrus, controversial pop star and daughter of mullet royalty, will bring her Bangerz tour to Toyota…
Nominations Now Open for Sixth Annual MasterMind Awards
It’s that time again. Nominations are now open for the sixth annual MasterMind Awards competition honoring the best in Houston arts. Once again, the Houston Press is looking for artists of all types who are changing our creative and cultural landscape in the Houston area. Past honorees have included theater,…
Cults at Fitzgerald’s, 11/5/2013
Cults Fitzgerald’s November 5, 2013 In the generation of music we’re listening to these days, whatever it may be called, it takes just that one single to put you into the national spotlight. Once upon a time there used to be major steps you had to take to even make…
Spotlight on Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Go: Cauliflower Gratin From Backstreet Cafe
Looking for non-traditional (at least for your family) to-go side options this Thanksgiving? This series is highlighting the unconventional, interesting twists on side dishes available at Houston restaurants for the holiday. Pick up one or more to add some variety to your traditional Turkey Day feast. For the sake of…
Anne Lamott at Brazos Bookstore, Plus Two Chances to See Diane Setterfeld at MBTB or Blue Willow Bookshop
The most amazing thing happened the other day. I sat down in my quiet living room, I opened a book, and I read for an uninterrupted 90-minute stretch. No TV, no music, no checking my phone for missed messages–just the occasional rustle of the page as I turned from one…
Honeymoon Tech: The Five Most-Used Apps From My Vacation
I got married recently and, naturally, my wife and I took our honeymoon immediately following. In our case, we went to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Because I work in a tech field, I tend not to go on vacation without some computer technology on me. For my…
Celebrities and Industries Who Contributed to Obama’s Re-Election Campaign
What celebrities and industries contributed to Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012? We’ll eat dessert first, then get to the vegetables later. The fun stuff: which celebrities donated a bunch of money to Obama’s reelection campaign? Among the biggest donors — the ones who gave the $61,600 maximum possible to the…
Critical Mass Bike Ride Angering Some Houstonians
My first experience with Critical Mass, the pro-bicycle organization that takes to the streets monthly in droves, was about a decade ago when I was still living in New York City. I recall walking down Fifth Avenue on a Friday evening when a herd of bikers came careening down the…
Cheap & Good Eats: Top 5 Budget Lunch Spots in the East End
We’ve been rounding up our favorite budget lunch spots in different neighborhoods around town. So far, we’ve covered Montrose, River Oaks, Midtown, Upper Kirby, EaDo, and Rice Village. With head honcho Ninfa’s on Navigation, its newly aquired neighbor El Tiempo, and plenty of hole-in-the-wall joints, the East End has its…
Forgotten Houston for Kids: Castle Golf and Games
Miniature golf has seemed to hold a fascination with kids since it was invented, which is remarkable considering how freaking boring the grown-up version of the game is for those same children. From the early 1970s through the early part of this millennium, the place to get your putt-putt on…
Top 5 French Bakeries in Houston: Bon Appétit
One of my fondest memories of traveling to Paris was buying a baguette that was nearly as tall as I was. My mother and I gathered slices of prosciutto, pont-l’Évêque cheese, apples, strawberries and grapes from a farmers’ market to make a picnic lunch behind the Eiffel Tower — all…
100 Creatives 2013: Sophie Jordan, New York Times Bestselling Author
It was Thanksgiving, 2006 when then newbie-author Sophie Jordan got her first real dose of “Are you a real writer?” At a family get-together, a woman came up to Jordan and, with more than a hint of suspicion in her voice, said, “Sooooo, you wrote a book.” “Yes, I did,”…
Texans Kicker Saga: The Randy Bullock Era Lives On
Tuesday afternoon, the Houston Texans put up a post on the team’s Web site to announce that head coach Gary Kubiak was being released from the hospital, less than 48 hours removed from the frightening mini-stroke that he suffered at halftime of the 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on…
Little Bitty Burger Barn Changes Hands; Former Owners to Open Restaurant in Wisconsin
“We have a cult following here, and I’ll have the same thing up there,” Little Bitty Burger Barn owner Jay Hengtgen told me, discussing his decision to sell the popular burger joint and move back to his home state of Wisconsin. The sale was finalized last Friday, November 1, and…
10 Best Endings in the Sookie Stackhouse Coda After Dead
Though the literary adventures of Sookie Stackhouse have come to a close, and the television adventures set to follow next season, Charlaine Harris had one more bit of magic up her sleeve for fans. After Dead is a collection of endings for various characters who for some reason or the…
Vote or Die: The Last VJ’s Top Five Videos of the Week (NSFW)
Welcome back to The Last VJ, music fans. YouTube had its music video awards just recently, and if you saw that then you know that the same out-of-touch mainstream crap ideals that ruined popular music videos starting a decade ago is still going strong in the minds of the money…
Everybody’s Still Talkin’ About Harry Nilsson
Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter By Alyn Shipton Oxford University Press, 544 pp., $27.95 While on a press tour to promote the founding of Apple Corps in 1968, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were asked to name their favorite singer. “Nilsson,” they replied. When next queried as to their…
From Mattresses to Music: Eastdown Warehouse Delivers
The words “work in progress” spring forth on a visit to Eastdown Warehouse. Anyone even a bit familiar with the people behind the warehouse district’s newest music venue will tell you to put the emphasis on “work” in that phrase. The operators of the club, located at 850 McKee, have…
Hip-Hop’s Seven Best Breakup Songs
Hip-hop gets a bad rap for being overly macho. That’s true in large part, but that doesn’t mean plenty of rappers aren’t intensely sensitive. Putting aside how easily they get their feelings hurt and jump into beefs, there’s the socially conscious crowd, the baby-making-music crowd, and even a whole heap…
Glenn Beck-esque Council Member Helena Brown Forced Into Runofff Against Brenda Stardig
Controversial District A council member Helena Brown has been forced into a runoff against Brenda Stardig, a former holder of the seat. With 97 percent of the precincts reporting, Brown had 38 percent of the vote and Stardig 29 percent. Mike Knox had almost 20 percent. Brown needed to get…
Bid to Renovate Astrodome Fails
Harris County voters rejected a $217 million plan to renovate the aged Astrodome into a convention center, a step that might lead to transforming the “Eighth Wonder of the World” into a parking lot. With two-thirds of 1,064 precincts counted, 53 percent of the voters opposed the project. Harris County…
Voters Approve Prop Six, $2 Billion Water Infrastructure Plan
Looks like there will be water, water everywhere, or at least funding for water infrastructure. Proposition 6, an amendment to the state constitution allowing the appropriation of $2 billion to fund revamping state water infrastructure, has passed, Associated Press reports. Houston voters can feel a little uppity about this –…
Annise Parker Cruises to Re-Election Over Ben Hall
Annise Parker avoided a runoff and easily beat former city attorney Ben Hall tonight in her final re-election race. “I love this city,” Parker told a cheering crowd after Hall conceded at about 9 p.m. At that point, with about a third of the precincts counted, Parker had 57 percent…
Influential Chef Charlie Trotter Dead at 54; His Chicago Restaurant Was Hot Spot for Decades
Charlie Trotter, the chef whose eponymous restaurant began a new and inventive era in American cuisine, has died. Trotter was 54, and had closed his restaurant in 2012 after 25 years of much success, and almost as much controversy and conflict. He said that he decided to close the restaurant…
Weather Week: Jacket Weather and Why Rain Forecasts Are Percentages
Before getting too deep into this week’s forecast, it is worth noting that there is a good reason why percentage chances are placed on rainfall totals. I often hear people saying things like, “They said it would rain, but we didn’t get any at our house.” It is sometimes difficult…
Texans Special Teams: 8 Negative Plays That Lost the Colts Game
Among the numerous statistical conundrums that define the 2013 Houston Texans, perhaps the one most often mentioned is the fact that the Texans’ defense somehow ranks first in the NFL in fewest yards allowed per game. Out of respect before each game and then perhaps to inflate their own accomplishment…
Chef Chat, Part 2: David Denis of Le Mistral Talks Foie Gras, 9/11 and Energy Corridor
This is the second part of a two-part chef chat interview. To read the first part of our chat, click here. This week we’re chatting with David Denis of Le Mistral, a French restaurant located in the Energy Corridor. Yesterday, Denis shared his history working as a private chef, and…
Will the Second Hobbit Movie Be Worse Than the First?
The second of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, arrives in theaters December 13. Now that we’ve come to terms with the fact there will be three — count ’em — three movies based on a book that could be read in half a dozen toilet…
Drayton McLane Suckered Jim Crane About CSN, and Now We’re All Suffering
Jim Crane was suckered by Drayton McLane. That’s why most of the city of Houston can’t see CSN Houston. It’s just that simple. Jim Crane didn’t do his proper due diligence, and he fell hook, line and sinker for everything that McLane told him, including that bit about CSN Houston…
UPDATED: He’s Out. Gary Kubiak Cleared to Leave Hospital
Update: Kubiak left the hospital for home around noon; it’s unsure when he’ll coach again. See his statement below. The Houston Texans say head coach Gary Kubiak, who dramatically collapsed on the field at halftime of Sunday’s loss to the Colts, has been cleared to leave the hospital and go…
Shakeup at KPFT? Some Board Members Accuse Colleague of “Oppression,” but They Don’t Believe the Public Deserves to Know
For over 40 years, Houston’s Pacifica affiliate, KPFT, has delivered important community-oriented (and über-liberal) shows that listeners can’t find anywhere else. Which is why it’s a big deal when there’s a shake-up that could potentially affect programming — and an even bigger deal when the station’s board members don’t want…
Feast With the Beasts 2013: Lions and Tigers and Food, Oh My!
This year’s Feast with the Beasts benefit for the Houston Zoo was a sold-out event that had people running from animal display to animal display and food tent to food tent to soak up every bit of excitement, even in the rain. This was the 8th annual feast, and the…
Intimate Moments: Rednerrus Feil Dance Company’s Into-Me-See
The Set-Up: By now Amy Llanes and her Rednerrus Feil Dance Company are no longer the new dance kids on the block, but November 1 and 2 marked a highpoint in the troupe’s history. RFDC presented Into-Me-See, its first full-length dance concert, and on Saturday they performed to a full…
Shirts Made of Plastic & Colorful Bras: Best Fashion Vending Machines
Have you heard about the new makeup vending machines in New York Subways? Yes! NYC Metro passengers needing a quick dose of lip gloss can skip on over to the L’Oréal Paris makeup vending machine for all their face paint needs. Not only does the machine dispense a wealth of…
A Tasty Supermarket Tomato? Nothing Compares to Camparis
Have you recently found yourself picking through tomatoes in a supermarket, trying to find the reddest one? That’s proper behavior in a farmers’ market, or in the heirloom tomato section. But for most supermarket tomatoes — even the vine-ripened ones — red doesn’t guarantee it tastes good, only that it…
UPDATED Houston Lawyers Call for Judge Denise Pratt to Step Down
Thirty-two family law attorneys have signed a letter calling for the resignation of Harris County Family Court Judge Denise Pratt, who is accused of backdating records. Lawyer Greg Enos of Webster last month filed a complaint against Pratt with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, likening her to “a 4th…
Rockets Still a Significant Work in Progress
There have been times in the Rockets’ history when they got off to slow starts in games. This year, it is a slow start to the season. But when I predicted they would go 11-7 in their first month with Dwight Howard, it wasn’t because I thought they would come…
Pop Rocks: Deadly Spider Bananas Go Viral, Haunt My Dreams
Since the dawn of the Internet, certain stories were tailor-made for the online world. They combined some odd mix of cute, odd, scary, funny, weird, ironic and/or nerdy. These are the sorts of stories that used to be relegated to the “News of the Weird” sections of print publications or,…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013: No. 73, Chili Cheese Mac from Jus’ Mac
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
The Rocks Off 200: Marzi Montazeri, the Man Dimebag Darrell Called a Bad Motherfucker
Who? Marzi Montazeri, who currently splits his time between his hometown of Houston and New Orleans, is something of an underground metal legend, and probably the most amazing guitar player that almost no one is talking about. He fronts his Southern-metal act Heavy Texas while here, and is also a…
It’s Never Too Early: 2016 GOP Presidential Frontrunners
It is, after all, almost 2014. And we know that the beginnings of what political scientists call the “invisible primary” are well underway — i.e., the GOP (and the Dems, but more on that in another post) elites are already deciding who is a viable presidential candidate and ideologically trustworthy…
Oaxacan Delight: Torchy’s Taco of the Month, Turkey Mole, Deserves a Spot at Any Table
Having reluctantly moved on from my favorite holiday (Halloween forever!), I am now getting in the spirit of Those Other Holidays. However, as someone who was raised in a family where Christmas decorations most definitely did NOT go up until December (after sometimes remained through January), I feel myself adrift…
5 Most Unceremonious Exits in Professional Wrestling
Though I no longer follow professional wrestling regularly, I always keep an eye out on the periphery of the spectacle because I truly do believe that it is a completely unique art form that deserves more recognition. Maybe it’s just the manchild in me who never got over watching the…
Astrodome’s Fate Decided Today? Good Lord, We Hope So
The mayoral race hasn’t generated much heat this year (which is fairly typical for Houston), but there are other reasons to hit the polls. Besides votes on saving water and building new jail facilities, there is a ballot question that we can only hope puts to bed one way or…
Doctor Who: 5 Reasons “Day of the Doctor” Takes Place in Pete’s World (And 1 Why It Can’t)
It’s November! Sure, that means a lot of nice things. The Holidays are starting up. That pathological delusion that we call Daylight Savings Time is over. The weather is cooler. The Playstation 4 is almost here. For us Whovians, though, what it really means is that that the long-awaited 50th…
Rest of the Best 2013: Houston’s Top Ten Doughnut Spots
Our 2013 Best of Houston® winners have been announced, but in many cases, picking the best item in any category was no easy task. In order to show off all the culinary greatness Houston has to offer we’ll be rounding up the “rest of the best” in some of our…
Family Man Kurt Vile Seeks “Deep and Epic” Sound
At first glance, Kurt Vile seems like your typical scraggly-haired, Southern-bred stoner rocker. In reality, however, he’s a responsible family man and a focused businessman. He doesn’t really smoke pot, and he’s not even from the South. While his sound may be inspired by the folk tunes of the Deep…
Upcoming: Ash, Dead Milkmen, Eagles, Gin Blossoms, Joe Diffie, Terri Hendrix, etc.
Albert Lee: Fri., January 31, 8:30 p.m., $88 to $128. Dosey Doe, 25911 I-45 N., Spring, 281-367-3774. Ares Kingdom: With Deiphago, Imprecation, Obeisance, HOD, Sacrocurse, Perversion, Abysmal Lord., Sat., November 16, 6 p.m., $20 to $25. Walters, 1120 Naylor, Houston, 713-222-2679. Ash: With Deaf Havana., Thu., February 6, 8 p.m.,…
The Five Best Acts at Voodoo Fest 2013
The 2013 edition of the Voodoo Festival has come and gone, leaving everyone who came out counting down the days until the next time they can step foot in New Orleans’ City Park. This year people were treated to standout sets spread across four stages from the likes of Pearl…
Six Girls Dated, Six Failed Relationships
[Note: In his column Serrano Time, Houston’s award-winning writer and goofball Shea Serrano writes about his life and times.] flickr.com/suzijaneNot me and not someone I dated, but it may as well have beenI went running the other morning. I used to run all the time. I was in shape, and…
MLS Cup Playoffs: Draw for Dynamo Step in Positive Direction
Midway through the first half, the New York Red Bulls were up 2-0 on the Dynamo, which looked all too similiar to the previous two encounters at BBVA Compass Stadium. But something happened in the locker room during halftime. Like in Any Given Sunday, one of the Dynamo assistant coaches…
The 7 IDs You Can Use to Vote on Election Day
Still confused about which ID you can use to vote on election day? We are here to help! Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Mike Sullivan reminds voters that photo identification will now be required to vote in person. “Our office is working hard to ensure voters understand the new ID requirements…
Dwight Howard, Thespian: For the Academy’s Consideration
We know you’ll be tuning in to catch the new kids’ sitcom Mighty Med on Disney XL because Bears vs. Packers, that’s not a rivalry game or anything on Monday Night Football. We can only say that those who do switch on Disney shall be rewarded with a performance that…
UPDATED: Free Press Summer Fest Wants Longer Hours, Possibly Another Day
UPDATE (Monday, 1:15 p.m.:): adds comments from FPSF’s Omar Afra. Free Press Summer Festival has decided it wants to grow. Earlier today, the popular Houston outdoor music festival — which drew an estimated 81,000 people to Eleanor Tinsley Park this past June, the first sellout in its five-year history –…
UPDATED With Good News: Rushmore’s Doug’s Barbershop, Heights Institution, Not Closing After All
Still from RushmoreJason Schwartzman, as Max Fischer in Rushmore, barbering in Doug’s Barber Shop. Things looked bad for Doug’s Barbershop on Friday. The Heights institution — known for being a continuously working barbershop since 1929 and made even more famous when part of Wes Anderson’s 1998 film Rushmore was filmed…
Rep. Steve Stockman Somehow Renews His Tim Fleck Feud
Tim Fleck, a former reporter for the Houston Press and KTRH before moving to the editorial board of the Houston Chronicle, had a somewhat odd relationship with Steve Stockman, an occasionally successful GOP candidate for the U.S. House. At various times events involved sheriff’s deputies and a lawsuit being filed…
Houston Symphony Honors the Dead With La Triste Historia
Similar to many other holidays, El Dia de Los Muertos (The Day of The Dead) has been commercialized and adopted by retailers hungry to sell masks and flowers. We see the image of la calavera (the skull) so frequently these days that its true value is lost, as if we…
What’s Cooking This Week? Arancini, Fish en Papillote and Meatloaf Sandwiches
I love cooking for my fiancé and planning meals for us, but cooking for two often proves to be difficult. If I don’t make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredients I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
College Football Recap: Miami Exposed, Much to Degenerate Gambler Brent Musberger’s Chagrin
Sports fans like to say that “sports” is the best reality television. Perhaps I’m nitpicking at semantics, but when it’s at its heart-pounding best, sports are more like a fantastic suspense drama, with storylines and characters in whom we emotionally invest. For me, it’s that way, at least. In just…
5 Saddest Things I Discovered Trick or Treating This Year
The Kid With One F is now four, which means that she’s entering the actual people phase of her life. That makes little things like going trick or treating a, well, treat because now she’s more than just a prop I use to extort candy from strangers. She has her…
5 Ways to Use Your Leftover Halloween Candy (Because You Know You Bought Too Much)
So, not enough trick-or-treaters came to your house this Halloween and you’re stuck with bags and bags of candy, right? This happens to my family every year, and we usually leave it in the pantry until Easter, then replace it with chocolate-covered bunnies and robins’ eggs. But how about putting…
Streetlight Manifesto at Fitzgerald’s, 11/3/2013
Streetlight Manifesto Fitzgerald’s November 3, 2013 If there’s a current poster child for ska, it’s Streetlight Manifesto. The genre seems to be all but done with, barely relevant in today’s musical world as it has become rare to see brass instruments onstage with guitars and basses. Despite fading from the…
Book Check: “League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for the Truth”
Title: “League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for the Truth” by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru Rating Using Random Objects Related to the Book’s Subject: 6 “Brain Slides” out of 5 if you like football, 5 Brain Slides even if you don’t like football. Why Brain Slides?…
Chef Chat, Part 1: David Denis of Le Mistral
This is the first part of a two-part Chef Chat interview. Please visit us tomorrow to read Part 2. We hear the argument all the time: Houston is so much more than what you find in the Inner Loop. Venture over to the west side of town, and you’ll find…
After Unraveling, Dir En Grey Regroups and Returns
Looking back, I can admit now that I wasn’t quite prepared for my first Dir En Grey experience when I covered the band’s performance at House of Blues a couple of years ago. At the time, I thought I had a pretty good handle on every permutation of heavy metal…
Will Liberals Turn Their Back on Obama in November 2014?
Will progressives energetically abandon President Barack Obama after the 2014 midterm elections? Let’s start with a couple of caveats. First, one year is an enormous amount of time, politically speaking. (We often forget this fact given the current state of political media coverage). Second, using history as our guide, we…
10 Best Pieces of Joker Art on Etsy
As of the time of this writing, I am planning to spend every moment of free time being Batman… because if that’s an option why would you ever choose anything else? Batman: Arkham Origins just arrived and it’s already arguably the best in the series so far. It’s also a…
People Are More Ethical in the Morning, Study Says
We know that self-control is a finite resource. For example, you’re on a diet. You’re using up a lot of your self-control on not eating unhealthy foods — salads for lunch — but you might have a few more glasses of wine at that happy hour/networking event than you otherwise…
Houston Mayoral Candidates Talk Food Trucks, Their Go-To Lunch Spots and Cooking at Home
In one of the great election movies of our time, Wag the Dog, CIA agent Mr. Young gives some helpful advice about food: “There are two things I know to be true. There’s no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war.” Okay, maybe it was…
Colts 27, Texans 24: And That Will Just About Do It for 2013
“What if I told you that a desperate team would play its best half of football in over a year, only to have the happiness taken away in an instant in the scariest way possible?” — ESPN “30 for 30” Voice Guy on the eventual ad for the inevitable documentary…
The Music Box’s Avenue Q: An Intimate Evening With Raunchy Puppets
The set-up: Take Sesame Street and give it a college coming of age story and an R rating and you’ve got the Tony Award winning musical Avenue Q, now being presented by Music Box Musicals. The musical, which stars both puppets, monster puppets and humans, was a screaming success when…
Want To Eat Out for Thanksgiving This Year? Houston Restaurants Have What You Need
Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, so make sure you have plans to feed every hungry mouth in your family on November 28. A multitude of Houston restaurants are here to make this food-centric holiday less stressful by opening up their kitchens to do the cooking for you,…
Colts 27, Texans 24: Weird Game, Coach Collapses, Bad Kicker and Another Loss
In the long train of abuses and usurpations — to borrow a phrase — that is pro football in Houston, Texas, Sunday night’s loss to the Colts probably isn’t in the top 10, but it did have one thing in common with all the others: It was seriously heartbreaking. Fortunately,…
There Is a Bra That Tweets and I’m Glad I’m Not Wearing It
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, there seems to be no shortage of bright pink reminders that ladies should be feeling themselves up on a monthly basis in order to check for potential lumps. It’s a worthy cause, and self-examinations can save lives. Check. But what if all this…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013: No. 74, Taco al Pastor at Taco Keto (Just Look for the Red Truck)
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Negative Approach & the Casualties at Walters, 11/2/2013
Negative Approach, the Casualties, the Krum Bums Walters Downtown November 2, 2013 Now that virtually every hardcore band that ever pushed a van in the early ’80s has reformed for a trek or three around the country, it’s fair to say that Detroit’s Negative Approach stands out as one of…
Buzzfest XXXI at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 11/02/2013
Buzzfest XXXI feat. Stone Temple Pilots, Chevelle, Cage the Elephant, 10 Years Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion November 2, 2013 Three songs into Stone Temple Pilots’ headlining performance at Buzzfest XXXI Saturday night, guitarist Dean DeLeo began to play the signature riff behind 1994’s “Vasoline,” as cheers resonated throughout the amphitheater…
The Best Concerts in Houston This Week: Free Radicals, Kurt Vile, Lupe Fiasco, etc.
Free Radicals AvantGarden, November 4 Free Radicals is both Nick Cooper’s revolving-door ensemble that at any given moment could be playing free jazz or Latin funk, and also Cooper’s ongoing testimonial to how much he digs being a member of the Houston music community. He has so much experience at…
Case Keenum: a) A Star Is Born, Or b) The Texans Will Always Be The Texans
Has there ever been an odder night at Reliant Stadium? A thrilling star-is-born first half by UH’s Case Keenum, which seemed to rock the stadium to its core, ended with coach Gary Kubiak collapsed on the field and taken to the hospital. The Texans — for whatever reason — then…
UPDATED With Good News: Texans Coach Gary Kubiak Hospitalized After Collapse
Updated Monday: The team says Kubiak is coherent and recovering but will stay in the hospital at least another 24 hours. “Our primary concern is of course with Gary’s health and well-being,” Texans Executive VP of Football Operations and General Manager Rick Smith said. “There have been so many people…
Astrodome for Sale, or at Least Parts of It
Video via Reliant Park A square foot of Astroturf that (it’s entirely possible) Earl Campbell or Carl Mauck actually walked upon — is there anything in the world that would make a better stocking stuffer? Don’t think too long or hard about that. Just head over to the Astrodome this…
Appeals Court Reinstates Part of Texas Abortion Law
Days after U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel issued an injunction blocking parts of the new Texas abortion law, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has reinstated the portion of the law requiring abortion doctors to have hospital admitting privileges within 30 miles of the clinic. The legislation…
Breasts! Twitter Misadventures, or HISD Has Odd Criteria for Its Employee of the Month
The above screenshot of our Tweetdeck account proves one of several things: 1) The Houston school district’s criteria for choosing an employee of the month are not perhaps what other institutions would use, except maybe Playboy. 2) Automatic cropping by Twitter/Tweetdeck can be a dangerous thing. We’re leaning more toward…
For the Cougars, a Win Is Indeed a Win
A win is a win is a win. That’s what they always say. That it is not how they play that matters, but the final result. And luckily for the Houston Cougars (7-1, 4-0 in conference), a win is a win. Even if last night’s win was an ugly 35-23…
UPDATED: Doug’s Barber Shop, Heights Institution Featured in Rushmore, Closing
Still from RushmoreJason Schwartzman, as Max Fischer in Rushmore, barbering in Doug’s Barber Shop. UPDATE: Owner Doug Dreher said he is working on mediation with the company, J. Conti Interests LLC. If they don’t succeed, the business will have to move, he said. Dreher has been renting the establishment for…
This Weekend’s Best Bets: Fire Pelini (No, Not That One, THAT ONE) Edition
One of the very underrated advancements in wagering over the last few years is that we now have the ability to bet on several sports-related propositions off the field of play. For example, in the corner of the Internet that I frequent for my odds and occasional risk of a…
Halloween Tragedy: 5-Year-Old Killed in Traffic Accident
A terrible Halloween for one family.A young trick-or-treater darted into the street last night and died when she was hit by a minivan, Houston police say. The five-year-old girl, whose name has not been released, was in the 7800 block of Boone on the southwest side, accompanied by adults, about…
Check Out the Houston Press’s New Digs at 2603 La Branch
There are always snags when you move. Moving bins, broken items, misplaced belongings, miscellaneous computer power cords, mishandled packages, no coffee machine. Heck, you might even forget to forward the mail. The Houston Press made its move into its new building (2603 La Branch at McGowen) over the weekend and…
TV Club: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown & Our Last TV Club
Given yesterday was the magnificent holiday of Halloween, the TV Club decided a good treat would be to comment on the classic children’s holiday special, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Jef, Pete and myself were then given a nice “trick” from our editor in the form of – “hey,…
Half-Off at Mission Burrito, Jazz Brunch at Red Cat, Lunch or Dinner at Les Givral’s Kahve
Today’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal is all about the burrito. Save 50 percent ($10 for $20) at all Mission Burrito locations — plus you get to purchase up to five vouchers per person. All menu items are made from scratch at Mission Burrito, including homemade salads, and only the…
MLS Cup Playoffs: Dynamo Dominate Post-Season Newbs
There were signs all around town leaning toward impending doom for the Montreal Impact. The fact that the heavy rains that plagued the area late Wednesday arrived as the Impact’s plane landed in Houston. Or perhaps that the rain clouds over downtown cleared just before kickoff — leaving an orange…
Cheap & Good Eats: Top 5 Budget Lunch Spots in Rice Village (Save Room for Some Dessert)
We’ve been rounding up our favorite budget lunch spots in different neighborhoods around town. So far, we’ve covered Montrose, River Oaks, Midtown, Upper Kirby and EaDo. Today, we’re looking at the shopping mecca that is Rice Village. Here’s our list of the best cheap (under $10) lunch spots that this…
Five Things to Avoid at Voodoo Fest 2013
The annual Voodoo Festival starts today, bringing people from all over the gulf coast region to the New Orleans event. Taking place in the gorgeous City Park in the north part of the city, this years event is set to feature the likes of Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails and…
For the Love of God, Stop Asking When I’m Going to Have Another Kid
As regular readers know, I have a four-year-old daughter who is equal parts amazing and terrifying depending on just how many cookies her Nana gave her before handing her back over to me. She’s an angel, sure, but so was Lucifer and look how well that turned out when he…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: Ender’s Game
Title: Ender’s Game Aren’t They Actually Using Video Games to Train Today’s Military? Yep. It’s every teenage boy’s dream, minus (or perhaps including) the genocide. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant to the Film: Two and a half WOPRs out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: Boy genius may be mankind’s last…
Los Flamin’ Hellcats w/ Scarface at Worhals, 10/31/2013
The Flamin’ Hellcats w/ Brad “Scarface” Jordan Worhals October 31, 2013 The great thing about Halloween is that it gives people license to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. For a lot of people on Thursday night, that means slipping into an alternate identity for the evening, like the Incredible Hulk…
Chicago Brings Its 1920s Razzle-Dazzle Back to Houston
The leading ladies are lying con artists and murderers. Despite this, the audience is expected to root for them in the Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse, John Kander now-classic musical Chicago. Paige Davis plays Roxie, the homemaker and would-be nightclub dancer with a heart of cold, who kills her lover and…
DEFCON Dining: I Before E, Except After Toting an Extra (Excited) Kid Around All Afternoon
Dining out with children is an exercise in situational awareness. Each experience is unique, with different variables leading to different possible outcomes, DEFCON-like in their escalating threat levels. Keen observation, forward planning and prior experience are critical in determining the proper strategy. Here at DEFCON Dining, we do the grunt…
Liberals Who Give Liberals a Bad Name: College Kids Edition
Conservatives like to point out when liberals try to squash speech that they (the liberals) don’t like. And, you know what, some times they (the conservatives) have a point. Just last week, Brown University students forced a halt to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly’s speech on their campus. The students were…
Fourteen Prison Guards Plead Guilty to Running Inmate-Drug Empire
We guess the definition of “captive audience” is pretty much epitomized by prison inmates. In Beeville, guards at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s McConnell Unit took advantage of the potential customer base and ran one hell of a drug ring, with the aid of inmates. They also smuggled in…
Ten Internet Dating Profiles You’ve Probably Been Matched With
Dear readers, we have something we would to like to confess. We’re former online daters, and we don’t care who knows it. Oh, stop giggling and side-eying us over our shady web-dating past. It was a rough time on the dating scene, and we were desperate for a date that…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Food Park Grand Opening, Sunday Morning Brunches & Taste of Sugar Land
Dia de los Muertos @ El Gran Malo Saturday 11 a.m. through Sunday, 2 a.m. 2307 Ella Blvd. Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at El Gran Malo. The fun begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday and ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday. Chef Ben Rabbani from the soon-to-open El Big…
Daylight Saving Time, Case Keenum & Lou Reed: How to Use That Extra Hour
You’ve sprung ahead; now it’s time to fall back. Sunday brings the end of this year’s Daylight Savings Time, meaning, we guess, that it’s time to throw time-thriftiness to the winds and just go wild. What should you do with that blessed extra hour? Five suggestions: 5. Accept the ending…
Upcoming Events: Houston Beer Week, Holiday Mixology Class and a Visitor From Petrus
A very special guest is coming to town on Monday, November 4. Edouard Moueix, of the Moueix family (owner of several Right Bank chateaux in Bordeaux and Dominus Estate in Napa Valley), will be in Houston for fewer than two days, but has made sure to stop by Philippe for…
100 Creatives 2013: Jessi Jordan, Comic Artist, Beekeeper and Yeti Enthusiast
What She Does: It’s become increasingly clear that Houston is home to a lot more comic creators than I was originally aware of, and man, some of them are really, really good. Today, meet Jessi Jordan, the artistic side of webcomics like The Class. You can also find her set…
Texans-Colts BATTLE-DRINK: Five Running Backs, Two Lucks
Here’s me channeling an NFL player… After a September and October that included two Texans road trips, three Texans home games, a trip to College Station for Alabama-A&M, and a trip to South Bend for Oklahoma-Notre Dame, the bye week came at a good time for me. Yes, that’s right,…
The Top 5 Things to Do in Houston this Weekend: “Into-Me-See,” the SuicideGirls – Blackheart Burlesque Tour, Día de los Muertos and More
Rednerrus Feil Dance Company’s first evening-length performance since moving to Houston is our pick for Friday. Artistic Director Amy Llanes focused on intimacy for the program. The show’s title, Into-Me-See, defines Llanes’s idea of the concept. “That’s what intimacy is, letting someone see into me,” she tells us. One of…
Openings & Closings: Flora & Muse Goes Out With a Bang, and Tiger Den Delays Its Opening
In one of the most surprising, yet epic, ways for a restaurant to close, Flora & Muse informed its customers it would no longer be open for business … and did so during a Greek Wine Dinner. On Monday, October 28, general manager Evan Turner told guests at the dinner…
Head Out on the Highway: A Lone Star Rally Playlist
Don’t let those thunderclouds fool you: That low rumbling you hear in the distance is the Lone Star Rally, the state’s largest gathering of bikers, absolutely terrorizing the good people of Galveston. Until the last chopper rolls out on Sunday evening, the Island will be ground zero for bandanas and…
Waka Flocka Goes Deep: “I Rap About the Struggle”
Recently the Aokify America Tour rolled into our great city, bringing with it one of the best shows of a year approaching its end. Rocks Off was able to speak to one of the tour’s major acts, the larger-than-life, animated at all times rapper Mr. Waka Flocka. The following is…
Houston’s Top 10 College Bars
As our sister blog Eating…Our Words does, from time to time Rocks Off will be giving your our picks for the top taverns in various Houston-area neighborhoods. Of course, the lines can be porous, but here anything with a TABC license that cannot reasonably be considered either a restaurant, coffeehouse…
The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Cage the Elephant, Acidic, Rusted Root, etc.
Cage the Elephant Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, November 2 Kentucky-bred Cage the Elephant has emerged as one of the more successful alt-rock bands of the 2010s, as well as one of the quirkier and most eclectic. (Coincidence?) The Bowling Green quintet first turned heads with robust but radio-ready singles like…
Metro Police Chief Victor Rodriguez: Another Top Cop in Car Crash
Our traffic tip of the day: If you see a local police chief behind the wheel of an oncoming car, duck. Last month it was Houston police chief Charles McClelland ramming a pedestrian, an incident which earned him a one-day suspension. (Getting caught in the act on video didn’t help…
It Was The War of the Worlds at Stark Naked Theatre Last Night
The set-up: Seventy-five years ago, on October 30, 1938, Orson Welles re-created on radio H. G. Wells novel “War of the Worlds”, where Martians invade Earth, causing widespread destruction before succumbing to the microbes of Earth. The radiocast was in the form of a documentary – “You Are There” -…
British Horror Cult Classic Club: Dog Soldiers
As serious Anglophiles – that’s people who are heavily into British culture, not some kind of white power thing – Jef With One F and John Seaborn Gray are taking a look at some lesser-known British films this month. As the month happens to be October, they will all be…
Wet, Wet Day for Houston; HISD Cancels After-School Activities
Nothing says “Houston” like a wet, sloppy morning commute, or a day maneuvering your way around street flooding, but today could have been worse. The Houston school district has canceled all after-school activities, however. “All after-school activities, including athletic events, are canceled today because of severe weather,” HISD says. “Schools…
Roky Erickson at the Continental Club, 10/30/2013
Roky Erickson & Hounds of Baskerville Continental Club October 30, 2013 You don’t have to know a whole lot about Roky Erickson to know he’s written some of the most touching, sweetest songs around. “Starry Eyes” by itself belongs on any halfway decent pitching-woo playlist. But maybe some other time…
The U.S.’s Best Trick-Or-Treating Spot Is Right Here, Study Says
If you’re busy plotting out your Halloween route in order to maximize efficiency, be sure to include Bellaire and, ummm, parts of Spring Branch on your list. That’s according to Zip Realty, which has come up with criteria to allegedly determine the 15 best places to trick-or-treat this year. The…
Keepin’ It Local (and Low-Cal) With Kickin’ Kombucha, a Great Alternative to Reed’s
When I wrote about Reed’s Kombucha recently, a few readers were a bit peeved that I chose to review a non-local kombucha. They protested that I should have paid attention to a local brand. Just an FYI to my detractors: I had never before tried kombucha and was not purposely…
Reviews for the Lazy Gamer: Batman: Arkham Origins
Game: Batman” Arkham Origins Platform: PC, Xbox, PS3, Wii U Publisher/Developer: Warner Bros Genre: Action-adventure Describe This Game in Three Words: Army of One Plot: This prequel takes us back to the beginning of Batman’s career as a vigilante. He’s been the Dark Knight for just two years at this…
Playoffs! Dynamo Open MLS Cup Postseason Against Montreal Tonight at BBVA
It’s not really difficult to make a case for the Houston Dynamo to advance past the Eastern Conference Knockout Round when they square off against the Montreal Impact on Halloween night at BBVA Compass. What you have in this one-game match-up is two opposite ends of the spectrum. On one…
Our Inspired Suggestions for the Name of the New Menil Cafe (and You Can Name It, Too)
The new cafe at The Menil Collection seems like it’s been in development forever. But recently we received some promising information that leads us to believe the café is, in fact, happening — and soon! The press office for the Menil announced that the café will be housed in one…
Zedd at House of Blues, 10/30/2013
Zedd House of Blues October 30, 2013 I may not know what Zedd looks like, but I think he represents the future. Let’s break down that sentence a bit before you grab your pitchforks and light your torches. On a platform at the back of the House of Blues stage,…
5 Reasons Handing Out Anti-Obesity Letters to Trick-Or-Treaters Is a Bad Idea
Turns out there is something more rotten than those pumpkins that will soon be melting down your front steps, and they’re called “anti-obesity fliers.” Yeah, anti-obesity fliers. Those are a thing now, courtesy of “Cheryl,” a concerned resident of Fargo, North Dakota, who called her local radio station, WRIG, to…
Stratification of Education: Why the U.S. Sucks In International Rankings
We consistently hear stories about how the U.S. educational system lags dangerously behind the world. At every State of the Union, any president will get an applause line if he talks about the need to improve our education system. The kids in ________ are overtaking us, outworking us. This actually…
Uchi Collaborates With University of Houston Design Students to Create a Work of Art
There are so many aspects of the dining experience that are artistic in nature. Consider the decor, the lighting, the way wine is swirled in a glass before we drink it. From the act of plating to the particular way we experience the food to the chair we sit on…
American Horror Story: Coven: Speak No Evil
It seems like such a long time ago when the editor whacked me upside the back of my head and said, “Oi, goth boy. Go write something up on this American Horror Story thing and make it snappy.” Well, in reality, it was Halloween two years ago, and since then…
Elizabeth Coker, Another Case of Blackrobe-itis: Texting Texas Judge Steps Down
Judge (now former) Elizabeth Coker, who serves the people of San Jacinto, Polk and Trinity Counties, comes from a long line of judges: her father and grandfather also sat on the bench. It appears the power of the black robe may have gone to her head. According to the State…
The Rocks Off 200: John Salinas, the Beat Beast of Only Beast
Who? I stumbled across Only Beast simply because of their name and instantly became enamored of their dynamic and incredible front woman Danielle Renee and the sheer raw power of the rock and roll that comes pouring out of her throat. Let’s turn our attention now to another key ingredient…
Cheap & Good Eats: Top 5 Budget Lunch Spots in EaDo (You Won’t Be Sorry)
We’ve been rounding up our favorite budget lunch spots in different neighborhoods around town. So far, we’ve covered Montrose, River Oaks, Midtown and Upper Kirby. Today we’re sharing our thoughts on the little section of the city known as East Downtown (or EaDo for all of you non-haters). Here’s our…
Pop Rocks: Why Are Movies So Damn Long?
I consider myself a movie buff. I love films; I was spawned from two cinephiles, I studied it in school, and I think it’s one of the most interesting art forms. But lately, I can’t make myself see a movie and it’s not because of all of the television that…
Miley Cyrus, Ted Cruz: Last-Second Halloween Advice on Avoiding Costume Hell
Maybe you’ve made it this far without totally blowing your Halloween costume and enjoying the newest tradition of the holiday, going viral. But tonight’s the big night. Can you make it without entering Costume Hell, not to mention the Ninth Circle of Costume Hell? Some tips: Miley, We Wish We…
The Top 10 Items Any Self-Respecting Home Bartender Should Own and Use Well
These items can’t make you a star bartender, but they’ll make you a better one.
Podcast: Matthew McConaughey’s Streak of Challenging Roles and Remembering Lou Reed
Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club.On this week’s Voice Film Club podcast, our critics discuss the upcoming Dallas Buyers Club, the late Lou Reed, 1983’s Get Crazy, 1979’s The Visitor, and 2008’s In Bruges. Matthew McConaughey extends his streak of taking on challenging roles in Dallas Buyers…
The Rest of the Best: The 10 Most Awesome People Buried in Houston
Houston has some really kickass cemeteries, everything from lovingly maintained pastoral settings of dignity to overgrown, forgotten, and probably haunted as hell boneyards with nothing but rusting signs to identify them. Trust me, a cemetery tour in Houston is a lot of fun. While we’re not overly burdened with celebrities,…
Texans-Colts: The New “Biggest Game in Texans History”
“This is the BIGGEST game in Texans history!” — Numerous media members and fans before any number of October and November games the last ten years For the first nine seasons of their existence, a time when the Texans rarely carried any mathematical relevance in the playoff race into November…
Oyster Season Opens on Nov. 1, and Houston Restaurants Are Ready to Get Shucking
“He first selected the smallest one … and then bowed his head as though he were saying grace. Opening his mouth very wide, he struggled for a moment, after which all was over. I shall never forget the comic look of despair he cast upon the other five over-occupied shells…
Big Sis Louise Harrison on George’s Fab Mates: “I Felt Like I Had Gotten Three More Brothers”
For Beatles fans, the sight of the septuagenarian Louise Harrison is usually a welcome one. A familiar visitor to Beatles conventions and gatherings, she’s usually got a warm smile, a quick laugh, and an anecdote about her younger brother, George. But she was wholly unprepared to face one woman, raging…
The Four Types of Spoilers and How Reviewers Should Handle Them
Recently, Anne Washburn’s astonishing Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play wrapped up a sold-out run at Playwrights Horizons in New York. I saw the show’s world premiere in June 2012 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., where I write about theater. It was one of the most imaginative and…
He Kissed and Told. Help!
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! I’M TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE BUT MYSELF Dear Willie D: I have a typical great life;…
Last Vegas Is Like a Reverse Mentos Commercial Starring Old Guys
It’s a dumbfounding irony that the fiction of the “entitled, selfish millennial” was invented by Baby Boomers. The generation that created Saturday Night Live and National Lampoon grew up to be weirdly deaf to irony, and probably won’t even get what a damning metaphor Last Vegas accidentally turns out to…
Here’s Everything Wrong With Ender’s Game
It’s almost a relief that Ender’s Game has turned out to be a glum bore onscreen, a far-future cadets-in-space military drama whose pretensions to moral inquiry boil down to the guilt a kid may feel after stepping on an anthill. If the film had turned out grand, like the best…
Hark! Your 2013 Holiday-Album Roundup
Happy Halloween, everyone. Who’s ready for Christmas? Must be quite a few of you, because the music biz rolled out many of its major 2013 holiday LPs this week. Those that don’t arrive next week, that is, or else got a head start like Mary J. Blige. Her A Mary…
Homeward Sound: The Culture of Living-Room Concerts
Road-weary and cash-poor, Caitlin Cary and Thad Cockrell just needed a comfortable place to play — and stay — in St. Louis in July 2005. Or at least that’s how Cary remembers it. “I’m pretty sure something either got canceled or we were really broke and didn’t want to have…
Coppa Osteria Is Reinventing Italian with Heart and Flour-Covered Hands
On an unseasonably cool October evening the patio outside of Coppa Osteria is full, and chef Brandi Key surveys the crowd like a proud Italian matriarch whose family is enjoying the fruits of her labor. Key then heads inside the bustling restaurant, picking up a plate to deliver to a…
Haters gonna hate, but Houston’s alternative-venue culture is thriving.
One night last summer, I stood sweating in the corner of a furniture-vacant room, hovering behind the drummer of Comatose and Half-Retarded.I was trying to film the punk band’s midnight set at The Ghetto Blaster, a house-show venue off Elgin. My camcorder lens kept fogging from the heat 100 young…
Lost ’70s Mess The Visitor Is Rich and Strange
If it were the late ’70s and you were a wunderkind film artist a bit embarrassed about your zeal for space-opera kids’ stuff, you went out and bagged yourself a great to class your movie up: Alec Guinness; François Truffaut; Max von Sydow done up like a disco gladiolus. That…
Tone Deaf
Only in Houston In the campaign to save the Astrodome with next week’s Proposition 2 referendum, someone has decided that just the thing to put it over the top is a bad Bruce Springsteen parody. On October 21, an outfit called “Jalapeno Pixels” posted a YouTube video called “My Dome…
Houston’s Top 10 Pizzas
Best of Houston Our 2013 Best of Houston® issue has arrived, and in many cases, picking the best item in the various categories was no easy task. In order to show off all the culinary greatness Houston has to offer, we’ll be rounding up the “rest of the best” in some of…
Houston an Ugly City?
Highlights from Hair Balls Spaced City Houston has come a long way in the looks and self-esteem department. Back when it was just a hamlet of a thing in the 1830s, people were already regarding Houston as something of a hot mess — the lawlessness was legendary, and draining off…
Chihuahuas, Restaurant Music and Henry Ford
Dear Mexican, My hometown of El Paso is getting a new AAA baseball team. The owning group just announced the name: The El Paso Chihuahuas. Reasons given? The origins of the dog and the city’s location in the Chihuahua desert, and that it was family-friendly. Many in this city are…
Capsule Art Reviews: Hill Country Love Affair: Interpretations of a Texas Heartland, “Kermit Oliver: Tracing Our Pilgrimage,” “Nice. Luc Tuymans,” “Rachel Hecker: Group Show”
Hill Country Love Affair: Interpretations of a Texas Heartland The beauty of the Texas landscape is the center of the William Reaves Fine Art Gallery’s current exhibition, Hill Country Love Affair: Interpretations of a Texas Heartland. The collection spans 85 years of interpretation of the Texas Hill Country by more…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Aida, Blithe Spirit, The Crucible, Death and the Maiden, Die Fledermaus, Venus in Fur, Veronica’s Room, Blood Wedding
Aida Filled with DeMille spectacle, scene-chewing passion and sublime music, Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida (1871), one of grand opera’s grandest, evokes the moonlit Nile, sumptuous palaces, gloomy temple sanctums, a split-level set that reveals claustrophobia below and splendor above (Verdi’s own design), and, most famous of all, a majestic triumphal scene…
