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Biden Says His Patience Has Worn Thin With the Unvaccinated, Mandates Shots

By Margaret Downing

Sep 9, 2021

Although Houston Mayor stepped back from hints that he would make COVID vaccinations mandatory for city workers, opting instead for frequent testing of the unvaccinated, President Joe Biden took a more forceful step Thursday. Possibly affecting as many as 100 million Americans, the measures called for by the President impose ...

Gov. Greg Abbott is giving the Lege a couple weeks off before calling them back to work.

Abbott Calls Third Straight Special Session of Legislative OT For September 20

By Schaefer Edwards

Sep 7, 2021

On Tuesday evening, Gov. Greg Abbott called yet another special session of the Texas Legislature, ordering state lawmakers to head back to Austin for one more round of legislating starting September 20. Abbott’s announcement came hours after he signed Senate Bill 1 into law, the controversial set of GOP election...

URBE has a dedicated bread and pastry program.

Openings and Closings: URBE Opens, Chivos Will Replace Calle Onze

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Sep 3, 2021

URBE, 1101 Uptown Park, opened August 27 for breakfast and lunch. The Mexican street food concept comes from James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega and restaurateur Tracy Vaught of H Town Restaurant Group. It's the fifth concept for the married couple and their restaurant group. Urbe means 'city' in Spanish...

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo hopes extending the vaccine incentive will help the county's strained hospitals.

Hidalgo Extends Harris County $100 COVID Vaccine Gift Card Program Through September 14

By Schaefer Edwards

Aug 31, 2021

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Tuesday afternoon that the $100 vaccine incentive program that has corresponded with a significant rise in COVID-19 vaccination rates has been extended through September 14. The program which rewards first dose COVID-19 vaccine recipients with a $100 gift card had been scheduled to expire...

Hay Merchant Will Close, Georgia James Will Relocate

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Aug 31, 2021

Chris Shepherd is always throwing big news at our city and today's announcement is no different. In a press release it was reported that the James Beard Award-winning chef is moving his restaurant group Underbelly Hospitality from the 1100 Westheimer location where it has been located for the past ten...

Early Morning Apartment Fire in Pasadena Sends Couple to the Hospital

By Jennifer Lake

Aug 31, 2021

An early morning fire that broke out at the Veranda Village apartments, 3635 Shaver in Pasadena, sent a husband and wife to the hospital, one in critical condition. The woman was airlifted to Hermann Hospital, while her husband was transported by ambulance. The apartment complex is located at Shaver and Allen...

Braii is the South African version of grilling.

Openings and Closings: Mozambik Replaces Peli Peli, TEN Sushi Next Year

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Aug 27, 2021

Mozambik, 1201 Lake Woodlands, will open in the space that currently houses Peli Peli South African Kitchen September 10. Peli Peli, one of Houston's longtime favorite restaurants brands, will have its last service at The Woodlands and Galleria locations September 5. The new concept comes from restaurateur Ryan Stewart who...

The Pavilion couldn't do a turn around quick enough to handle Jason Isbell's request.

Jason Isbell Concert at The Woodlands Wednesday is Cancelled [UPDATED]

By Margaret Downing and Matthew Keever

Aug 10, 2021

In an announcement Tuesday on the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion website, the venue now says that Wednesday night's Jason Isbell concert is cancelled. Isbell had wanted to restrict attendance to only people who could show they were vaccinated against COVID-19 or who took a COVID test and were not positive...

Postino offers a convivial space and plenty of snacks for hanging out with friends.

Openings and Closings: Postino Town & Country Opens, Divino Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Aug 6, 2021

Postino Wine Cafe, 791 Town and Country Boulevard, will open August 9. This is the third Houston location for the brand, based in Phoenix, Arizona. The first opened in the Heights Mercantile in 2017, followed by the Montrose location a little over a year later. The all-day wine bar and...

Gov. Greg Abbott is asking lawmakers to head back to work Saturday in a second straight special session.

Abbott Calls For Second Special Legislative Session To Start Saturday After Democrat Walkout Killed His First

By Schaefer Edwards

Aug 5, 2021

Early Thursday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott called for a new special session of the Texas Legislature to begin at noon on Saturday, August 7, mere hours after the end of the current special session which was thrown off course almost immediately once over fifty Texas House Democrats fled the state...

Chris Shepherd's new restaurant adds some glam to casual dining and drinking.

Georgia James Tavern Opens Tonight

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 27, 2021

It's always big news when one of Houston's best chefs opens a new restaurant and the news can't get much bigger than James Beard Award Winning chef Chris Shepherd's debut of his new Georgia James Tavern at the luxury hi-rise Market Square Tower, smack dab in the middle of downtown...

House Democratic Caucus Chair Chris Turner spoke alongside fellow Dems in May after their previous walkout effort.

Texas Dems Plan To Flee Texas For D.C. Monday To Block GOP Election Bills A Second Time [UPDATED]

By Schaefer Edwards

Jul 12, 2021

Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives are planning to fly to Washington, D.C. Monday in an attempt to halt the state Legislature from advancing controversial Republican-backed election bills during the ongoing special legislative session, sources close to state Democrats told to NBC News and The New York Times...

This Jerk Snapper looks ready to throw down.

Openings and Closings: Paul Friedman's Chef's Table, Gratify Replaces Punk's

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 9, 2021

The Chef's Table, 110 Vintage Park, will celebrate its grand opening July 19. The new restaurant takes over the original home of Peli Peli which lured in nearby residents to Vintage Park for years. It's a fitting return for chef/owner Paul Friedman who was the CEO, partner and executive chef...

Gov. Greg Abbott gave Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan his special session marching orders Wednesday.

Abbott Sets A Red-Meat Menu For Special Legislature Session Starting Thursday

By Schaefer Edwards

Jul 7, 2021

Ending weeks of speculation, Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday morning finally unveiled the full list of items Texas lawmakers will be allowed to focus on during the upcoming special legislative session set to begin Thursday morning. “The 87th Legislative Session was a monumental success for the people of Texas, but...

Abhi Sreerama's Facebook page announcing the decision to close.

Spanish Village Restaurant Will Close July 17

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 7, 2021

It's been a Museum District fixture for nearly seven decades, serving its famous queso, margaritas and enchiladas since 1953. Spanish Village is the second oldest Mexican restaurant in Houston, coming in after Molina's which opened in 1941. It has served as a gathering place for families celebrating milestones and for...

Texas' power grid operator is worried electricity demand might outstrip supply this week.

ERCOT Warns Power Outages Possible This Week If Folks Don’t Conserve Energy Pronto

By Schaefer Edwards

Jun 14, 2021

It turns out that arctic winter storms aren’t the only times Texans have to worry about the state’s power grid crapping out. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas asked state residents on Monday to cut down on their electricity usage through Friday to prevent possible power outages across the state,...

Dig in to a juicy, cheesy burger at Underbelly Burger.

Chris Shepherd: Cheeseburgers and CBD

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jun 2, 2021

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Superchef! Yes, Chris Shepherd is making news again with not only a new burger concept but also a CBD cocktail collaboration with Bayou City Hemp Co. Underbelly Burger was announced May 28 after much speculation about what the new casual...

Last year, Brennan's created The Cleverley as a tribute dish.

Houston Restaurant Weeks 2021: The Delicious Fundraiser Returns

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jun 1, 2021

It's the time that Houston gourmands look forward to every year: Houston Restaurant Weeks. The annual fundraiser created by Cleverley Stone began in 2003 and has raised $16.6 million for Houston Food Bank and continues to be the largest fundraiser for Houston Food Bank which is also the largest food...

Only a few years after the real-life assassination attempts or successes against John Lennon, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Paul II, Eddie Murphy's "SNL" sketches on the murder of his Buckwheat character got big laughs.

How Soon is "Too Soon" for TV Comedy to Address Tragedy and Trauma?

By Bob Ruggiero

May 17, 2021

Tragedy Plus Time: National Trauma and Television Comedy By Philip Scepanski 280 pp. $50 University of Texas Press On September 29, 2001, just a little over two weeks after the terrorist attack on 9/11, the New York Friars Club and Comedy Central went ahead with a planned “roast” of Hugh...

Openings and Closings: Rakkan Ramen Opens This Week, Le Jardinier Debuts in May

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Apr 30, 2021

Le Jardinier, 5500 Main, opens at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston May 18. Located inside the the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, the French-inspired restaurant comes from The Bastion Collection which also opened Cafe Leonelli at the museum April 16. Michelin-starred chef Alain Verzeroli will serve as culinary director...

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