Bargains! Bargains! Bargains!

Attention, tightwads! Act now! Sits to nuts—the big bang for the little buck! Check out our super-savin’, dollar-bustin’ bible of buys! Everything must go! (Offer available in Texas only.)

by Joe Nick Patoski

Nature of the Beast

A tiger, a zoo, a terrifying death.

by Stephen Harrigan

The Meanest Rver

Yes, it’s muddy, it’s treacherous, and it smells bad enough to gag a skunk; but it’s also the only thing between us and Oklahoma.

by Jan Reid

One Tough Yankee Banker

Deadlines came and deadlines went, and Bob Abboud still could not seal the deal to bail out First City. But with his ego and $1 billion plus on the line, he’d be damned if he’d back down first.

¡Fiesta Wear!

With these lively Mexican skirts, what goes around comes around.

by Helen Thompson

Notes From the Underground

Seven Central Texas caves put on the summer’s best rock show.

by Patricia Sharpe

Texas Primer: Forty-Two

Move over, Trivial Pursuit. Out of the way, Pictionary. Texas’ very own domino game is making a comeback at the age of 101.

by Michael Hilton

Behind the Lines

Prom night.

by Gregory Curtis

Politics

Country Boys

A battle over a vacant state Senate seat reveals that the scars from years of Democratic party infighting haven’t healed yet.

by Patricia Kilday Hart

Travel

Writing on the Rio

The only way to see Big Bend’s canyons is from the river, but that doesn’t mean you have to get wet, eat trail mix, or give up Bach.

by Joe Nick Patoski

Back Roads

Button Pushers

Dealing drugs along the border is a risky, illegal business—unless you happen to be one of the nine Texans licensed to sell peyote.

by John Morthland

Reporter

Texas Monthly Reporter

A spree décor: a buying guide to the new Dallas shopping trip

Roar of the Crowd

The gift of life; first impressions; a favorite centenarian.

State Secrets

Go to junior college and see the world; the U.S. Supreme Court looks askance on Texas’ legal bills; a Hispanic political institution at the crossroads; does George Bush have coattails?

by Patricia Kilday Hart

The Calypso Kitchen

Like the climate it comes from, Jamaican food is hot, bright, and unforgettable. Four Seasons chef Robert McGrath cooks to a Tex-reggae beat in an electrifying summer menu.

by Barbara Rodriguez

Conch Salad

Recipe from “The Calypso Kitchen”

Grouper in Banana Leaf

Recipe from “The Calypso Kitchen”

Kingfish with Tamarind-and-Coconut Sauce

Recipe from “The Calypso Kitchen”

Crowder Peas With Bonnet Peppers

Recipe from “The Calypso Kitchen”

Baked Plantains

Recipe from “The Calypso Kitchen”

Gratin of Chayote and Acorn Squash

Recipe from “The Calypso Kitchen”

A Grande Finale

The common dewberry takes a leading role in a sophisticated shortcake.

by Susan Chadwick

Dewberry Shortcake

Recipe from “A Grand Finale”