For the longest time, quinceañeras were simple, down-home celebrations held in parish halls and backyards. Then along came the stretch Humvees, the carriages and thrones, the choreographed dance routines, the smoke machines, the climbing walls, and the dinners for four hundred bedazzled guests. One thing remains the same, though: It’s
Trade secrets and true tales from Lynn Wyatt, she of the famously fabulous parties, glamorous couture gowns, rich and entertaining pals (e.g., Liza Minnelli, Andy Warhol), and legendary whiskey laugh.
From a honky-tonk in Odessa to a Catholic church in Houston, there’s one night of the week when you’re guaranteed to find Texans at their snappiest.
A tour of our greatest architectural master-pieces—from the Alamo to the World Birding Center—shows how the collision of the Old World and the New forged a unique style on the Texas frontier.
Or how I came to be known as “the man who put the glitter on Loretta Lynn’s titter.”
A Houston funeral home where the dead do not go modestly into that good night.
The future has seldom been a copacetic place in sci-fi swami Bruce Sterling’s works of fiction. His eleventh novel, The Caryatids, is set in the bleak year 2065. A global nuclear and climatological disaster has devastated great nation-states like India and America; China has emerged as the ravaged
We probably didn’t need another comic novel about life at an absurdly bureaucratic and insular American university, but Houston memoirist Emily Fox Gordon gets a pass for her well-honed and earthy satire It Will Come to Me. Ruth Blau is a 56-year-old faculty wife; her husband, Ben, chairs
In the sixties and seventies, transplanted Houstonian Donald Barthelme made a splash in the New York literary world with short stories and novels like Snow White and The Dead Father. With Hiding Man, one of his former students—now a distinguished professor of English and creative writing at Oregon State University—presents
The latest installment in Willie Nelson’s once-a-month release schedule finds him fronting Ray Benson’s band, Asleep at the Wheel. The genesis of Willie and the Wheel (Bismeaux) dates back 36 years, when famed Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler signed Nelson and helped launch his outlaw-country career. Wexler
Put on “Gunpowder,” the lead track from Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears’ Tell ’Em What Your Name Is! (Lost Highway), and the easy, horn-driven groove of the seventies classic “Soul Finger” instantly comes to mind. Yet seconds later it sounds like you’re listening to Nuggets. So it
With his free-flowing, honeyed sound, David “Fathead” Newman would doubtless have enjoyed a fine career even without the chance encounter that transformed his life. The Corsicana saxophonist split college to play with famed Texas alto Buster Smith. He went on to tour with, among others, Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker.
Whether he’s painting, writing, or making music, 31-year-old artist Angelbert Metoyer finds much of his inspiration in the array of canvases and stacked papers at his Houston home office. His art, a combination of figurative drawings and painted abstract images, is largely influenced by his Creole heritage and has found
In 1990 Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton proposed a casual session with Sexton, Bramhall, and Double Trouble’s other half, bassist Tommy Shannon. The venue was the Austin Rehearsal Complex, and the collaboration produced instant results: chemistry, friction, and record-company interest. The Arc Angels were born. Widespread and enthusiastic acclaim soon
The pecan may be our state tree, but the Magnolia grandiflora, or Southern magnolia, has long been the belle of our arboreal ball. With its dramatic canopy, glossy leaves, and creamy blooms, this elegant evergreen is the centerpiece of many Texas gardens. Where does it thrive? “Magnolias prefer warm, rainy
What’s the best way to break in new boots?
Shudde, a fourth-generation hatter, was born and raised in Houston. He runs Shudde Bros. Hatters, near Brookshire, which has been making hats since 1907.To be a good hatter, you have to listen to the customer. Be patient and let him or her tell you what they need to tell you.
Read classic Skip Hollandsworth on serial killers, bank robbers, drug dealers, gangs, and more.
In 1990 Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton proposed a casual session with Sexton, Bramhall, and Double Trouble’s other half, bassist Tommy Shannon. The venue was the Austin Rehearsal Complex, and the collaboration produced instant results: chemistry, friction, and record-company interest. The Arc Angels were born. Widespread and enthusiastic acclaim soon
The Prom Shop Project doles out more than three thousand dresses a year, along with shoes, accessories, and a healthy dose of confidence.
In the sixties and seventies, transplanted Houstonian Donald Barthelme made a splash in the New York literary world with short stories and novels like Snow White and The Dead Father. With Hiding Man, one of his former students—now a distinguished professor of English and creative writing at
1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 shallot Brunoise shallots 1 clove minced garlic 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp grainy mustard 1/2 cups 90/10 vegetable oil/olive oil blend 1 teaspoon chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon Salt and pepper to tasteIn mixing bowl, mix first five ingredients. Slowly whip
The environment, green economy, and job creation goes from “eco-chic” to everyman.
With Orange, Endive, Warm Goat Cheese and Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette3 ounces baby market arugula 3 endive spears chiffonade Half an orange, sectioned and juice reserved 2 tablespoons Dijon vinaigrette (see recipe) 1/2 each fresh fennel bulb, sliced paper thin 1 ounce goat cheese medallion 5 drops olive oil 2 leaves
1 1/4 pounds Prince Edward Island Mussels 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon sweet butter 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic 2 ounces good quality amber beer or white wine 2 ounces chicken stock 1 pinch herbs de Provence 2 tablespoons small diced beefsteak tomato 1 pinch chopped
When Stump the Sussex spaniel took home the trophy at the 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, he carried on the legacy of top dogs in Texas.
Escargot6 large escargots 1 tablespoon Pernod 1 tablespoon white wine 1 pinch chopped parsley 1 teaspoon minced shallots 1 clove minced garlic 1 teaspoon 90/10 vegetable oil/olive oil blend Salt and pepper to tasteParsley garlic butter2 tablespoons sweet butter, softened 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1 teaspoon minced garlic clove
(Selection of cheeses served with French bread and quince marmalade)8 1/2-ounce portions of 8 kinds of cheese * 1 dried fig 1 small branch seedless red grapes 1 tablespoon pecan halves 3 slices pear 1 ounce quince marmalade 1 teaspoon honey 6 slices French bread from a 4-inch baguetteArrange cheeses
8 oysters 8 littleneck clams 8 16/20 gulf shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined 1 chilled Maine lobster 1/2 lemon 4 ounces green, inedible seaweed 4 ounces herb mayonnaise 2 oucnes cocktail sauceIn an extra large (2 tiers) seafood stand, place crushed ice and seaweed in the middle. Arrange the oysters,
Dine at one of the six fine restaurants in Dallas that have earned our elusive star status.
Ninety-four percent of Texas high school students receive abstinence-only education. More than half of these teens are losing their virginity. So what do the majority of Texans really want their kids to know about sex?
Texas Monthly and Rice University hosted a panel discussion on the effects of the devastating hurricane that changed Houston and Galveston forever.
Koi Lantern's executive chef talks about living in Dripping Springs, being a young chef, and making customers happy.
Every March in Austin, the South by Southwest festival rolls out another hundred-plus films and what seems to be a thousand bands from almost as many countries. This weekend highlights film and the interactive world. You can spot the out-of-town independent filmmakers, walking in the vicinity of the Convention Center
With Wild Mushrooms Soft Poached Egg and Warm Hazelnut Shallot VinaigretteSalad1 cup raw mushrooms, cleaned and quartered (use one each of Oyster, Shitakes, white, and any seasonal mushroom) 1 1/2 ounces frisee 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon sweet butter 1 teaspoon minced shallots 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic clove 1
2 1/2 ounces yellowtail tuna 1/8 teaspoon toasted poppy seeds 5 paper thin slices red radish, approximately 1/16-inch thick 1 teaspoon white Tadashi soy sauce 2 sections Pulp of Texas ruby red grapefruit with juice 5 drops lime juice 5 drops extra virgin olive oil 1 pinch slivered scallion Salt
Recipe from Chef Jeff Martinez, El Chile Cafe y Cantina, Austin2 ripe Haas avocados 1/2 cup fresh tomato 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 1 lime for spritzingSpoon out the avocados and mash in a bowl. Cube the fresh tomatoes and red onion. Roughly chop cilantro. Mix
Recipe from Chef Jeff Martinez, El Chile Cafe y Cantina, AustinGulf Coast fish (sushi grade) lime juice cilantro tomato avocado serrano peppersQuantities depend on your preference. Marinate fish in lime juice for 3 to 8 hours, depending on the type of fish you purchase. Mix in cilantro, tomato, avocado, and
The Dallas Police Department’s posting of photos in its “indecency” section on its Web site is probably constitutional—the fact that prostitution cases are also listed means that gay men as a class are not being singled out—but is it responsible?
It was a gorgeous day at the outlet mall. The sun shone brightly on the Tuscanish facades, on parking lots that an optimist would have called half full, on the strip of patio and water feature called Gondola Park (though its narrow pool was devoid of gondolas), and the pretzel
Maybe the collapse of the Stanford Group isn’t Enron, but Houston wasn’t about to be left out of the financial scandals.
A new film presents a never-before-seen look at Dominique de Menil in her curatorial element.
Kate Hersch and Lance Avery Morgan, the principals behind August Morgan, know how to throw a great party. Just mix champagne with friends and toss in some vintage needlepoint pillows.
When I want to know what’s new, what’s out, what’s it, I visit my five favorite blogs.
Recipe from Brasserie Pavil, San Antonio3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate 3.5 ounces semisweet chocolate 7 ounces milk chocolate 2 tablespoons amaretto or Frangelico liqueur, optional 1/4 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds, optionalsuggested dippables
Every piece of jewelry Zoltan David makes is hand-forged—and he doesn’t make copies.
When the idea of putting together a special Texas Monthly style issue was first laid on the table, it was greeted with consternation. Did we intend to dispatch Paul Burka to the fashion shows to analyze the spring lines or Skip Hollandsworth to the nearest perfumery to fill his untutored
Ignored by you for years, the Southern Legal Resource Center has finally arrived [“The 2009 Bum Steer Awards,” January 2009]! But, hey, where have y’all been? We filed the student free speech federal lawsuit against Burleson ISD back in 2007.Clueless as we are, we naively cling to the quaint
