October 2012 – Page 2 of 3

Texas Politicians Hit a Different Kind of Trail

From Bush to Hutchison, Texas proves politicians are no slouches when it comes to exercise.

Gravy, Anyone? Tomorrow is Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day

Ready your gravy boats, fellow Texans; Tomorrow – Friday, October 26 – is Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day. This culinary holiday honors one of the most famed dishes in the Lone Star State, and in celebration of Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day, different restaurants across the state are offering chicken fried steak specials

The Minds Behind the @PaulRyanGosling Twitter Account

The satirical Twitter feed is run by five women, two of whom live in Texas.

A Conversation with Nathan Tate of Boulevardier

For October, Pat Sharpe selected Boulevardier, a modern French bistro in Dallas, as Pat’s Pick. I spoke with Nathan Tate, executive chef of Boulevardier, about his brand new restaurant, French food, and his favorite dishes on the menu. (In case you haven’t heard, 

Watch an Incredible Time-Lapse Video of the Space Shuttle Endeavour

Watch a stunning time-lapse video of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's final voyage through the streets of Los Angeles.

Obama cruises to victory in 3rd debate — but will it move votes?

This was the best of the debates. Both Obama and Romney were at the top of their games. Romney’s camp positioned him as reassuring and, to the extent it was possible, presidential. This was very smart; it smoothed the rough edges that emerge whenever Romney goes on the attack. Clearly

What to expect in the final debate

1. Romney will renew his criticism of Obama’s muddled explanation of the attack on the consulate at Benghazi. Obama will respond with an attack on Romney’s ill-timed press release critizing the White House’s performance. Romney will not repeat his previous (false) accusation that it took Obama two weeks to call

Austin Chef Sonya Coté Named One of Marie Claire’s ‘Women on Top’

Austin chef Sonya Coté, executive chef of Hillside Farmacy and former chef of East Side Show Room, has been named one of Marie Claire’s “Women on Top,” an award that celebrates women under forty who are creatively reinventing their industries. Coté earned the distinguished honor for her valiant support of

Softened Pork Skins Stew from ‘Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico’

On Friday, Pat Sharpe wrote about Hugo Ortega’s new cookbook “Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico,” which will be featured at the Texas Book Festival this Saturday and Sunday (October 27-28) in Austin. To give

“Draft Castro” movement emerges in San Antonio

From the Express-News: In the home stretch of a crucial election effort to pass his pre-K education plan, Mayor Julian Castro is being drafted for a different race, two years away. Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina launched a social media movement last week to draft Castro

FDA questions Perry’s stem cell procedure

From the Houston Chronicle: The Food and Drug Administration has informed the Sugar Land company involved in Gov. Rick Perry’s adult stem-cell procedure that it is illegally marketing an unlicensed drug. In a warning letter, the FDA gave Celltex Therapeutics Corp. 15 business days to submit a plan to address

Dallas Man Says Bigfoot Threw a Rock at Him

A man camping in Shelby County thinks he saw the hairy monster in the Piney Woods. 

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut: Here’s a Great Recipe for Chiles in Wanut Cream Sauce from Marilyn Tausend’s New Cookbook

One of the most respected authorities on Mexican cuisine in this country is an author and culinary tour leader from Washington State named Marilyn Tausend, and she has recently published her latest cookbook, La Cocina Mexicana: Many Cultures, One Cuisine. Strangely enough, Tausend has a strong Texas connection.

Texas Business Report: Bumpy Skies for Southwest Airlines?

Southwest Airlines announced it will slash spending by at least $100 million after the airline's third-quarter numbers were lackluster.

‘Where the Chefs Eat’ Culinary Tours Feature Top Houston Chefs, Diverse Cuisines

Exciting news for all the Houston foodies out there: the city is hosting a myriad of chef-organized, chef-led culinary tours in 2013. The “Where the Chefs Eat” Houston Culinary Tours started in 2010 as a means of teaching diners about the Houston food scene and all its intricacies and diversities. Proceeds from the tours benefit

R.I.P. Big Tex

Big Tex went up in flames Friday.

The Dewhurst agenda

I’m told by sources who heard it from the horse’s mouth, that the light gov has decided on his top priorities for the 2013 session, issues he would like to see designated as “emergencies.” (They would have to be designated as emergencies by the governor.)  This is what my list

Travel + Leisure’s 101 Places Every Traveler Should Know: Which Texas Destination(s) Made the Cut?

In the November 2012 issue of Travel + Leisure, the magazine's editors have compiled a list of 101 places around the world that they say "define the traveler's core curriculum right now." One Texas destination has made the list. Can you guess what it is? Click

Houston Chef Hugo Ortega Shows How It’s Done, Mexico City-Style, at the Texas Book Festival

When Hugo Ortega was a small boy shining shoes and selling freshly made flan in the marketplace in Mexico City, no doubt it never crossed his mind that one day he would be teaching Americans to cook the foods of his homeland. But that was a long time ago, and

Spice-Rubbed Jerky from Burma: Rivers of Flavor

Two days ago, I featured a post on Naomi Duguid’s new book “Burma: Rivers of Flavor.” Before I talked to the Duguid, I asked her to send along a Texas-esque recipe from the book that I could

Let the Bidding Begin: An Online Auction with a Foodie Focus

Right this minute would be a good time to scoop up some fun food-related bargains and help out a good cause at the same time. The Austin chapter of the nonprofit women’s culinary group Les Dames d’Escoffier is holding an on-line auction of culinary goodies, and it’s

Obama bounces back

A New Definition of Cow Tipping: Tell Us Your Favorite BBQ Joints!

Dear barbecue buffs, fans, mavens, hounds, fanatics, cognoscenti, nuts, addicts, maniacs, aficionados, zealots, enthusiasts, devotes, groupies, and lovers: Do you have a barbecue destination that you think is worthy of being on Texas Monthly’s “The Top Fifty BBQ Joints in Texas” list? Now’s the time to tell us! Next

Baby Jessica: 25 Years Later

Twenty five years ago this Tuesday, rescuers hoisted Baby Jessica out of the Midland water well where she had been trapped for more than two days.

Bryce Gilmore Announces Plans for Odd Duck Restaurant

Bryce Gilmore has announced plans to open a brick-and-mortar location of the food trailer that propelled him into local fame: The Odd Duck. The 120-seat Odd Duck restaurant will re-open in Spring 2013 in its original location at 1219 South Lamar Boulevard with “a rustic and casual atmosphere [featuring] simple and

KTRK Houston: Gallegos succumbs

From the KTRK story:“Mario Gallegos was the first Mexican American elected to the Texas Senate from Harris County. He served two terms. Gallegos was a firefighter and a senior captain for 22 years. In 2007, he was elected “Governor for a day,” an honorary position awarded to the

More Border Cameras to Be Installed

The Texas DPS just received $225,000 to put more cameras on private properties along the Mexican border.

Texas Book Festival Lineup Includes World-Renowned Culinary Author Naomi Duguid

From October 27-28, the Texas Book Festival will take place at the State Capitol in Austin. A number of talented, award-winning culinary authors will be attending the literary gathering, including Naomi Duguid – contributing editor of Saveur magazine and author of

Taxes for UT?

The university says that it cannot build and operate its proposed new medical school without a permanent source of funding. It is seeking an increase in local property taxes (amounting to $107.40 per homeowner for the average home), the revenue from which would help fund the medical school. Austin historically

Jeb Bush Says Texas Could Turn “Blue” In Just Four Years

Joe Hagan profiles the Bush dynasty for New York magazine. 

Larry McGuire’s Newest Oyster Restaurant Clark’s is Now Open

When he spoke to TEXAS MONTHLY back in May, Larry McGuire mentioned he was working on a new oyster bar on West Sixth Street. Just before the Austin City Limits Music Festival, McGuire opened Clark’s Oyster Bar – a “little brother” restaurant to the highly

Austin Film Festival Hosts 10th Annual Film & Food Party

The Austin Film Festival will host their 10th annual Film & Food Party on Wednesday, October 17 at The Driskill Hotel from 7-10 p.m. The culinary event kicks off the 19th annual Austin Film Festival, which takes place from October 18-25. The honorary

Texan Computer Programmer Outed as Notorious Reddit Troll

Gawker's Adrian Chen reveals that the self-described "creepy uncle of Reddit" is 49-year-old Arlington resident Michael Brutsch.

Pâté Letelier and Tiff’s Treats detail their ACL prep work

On Friday, I began looking into how different food vendors and restaurants were gearing up for the Austin City Limits Music Festival. So far, I’ve spoken with Second Bar + Kitchen, Torchy’s Tacos, and The Salt Lick; today, I finish off my inquiry with Pâté Letelier and Tiff’s Treats. Read

The State Fair of Texas: Football + Fried Food

This time last year, I was leaving the Cotton Bowl along with thousands of football fans who'd made the annual pilgrimage to watch the 106th Red River Rivalry, one of the highlights of the State Fair of Texas. While throngs of UT

Torchy’s Tacos and The Salt Lick detail their ACL prep work

Yesterday, I reached out to a few food vendors and restaurants to find out how they’ve been preparing for the Austin City Limits Music Festival, which attracts thousands of avid music fans from all over the world. To start things off,

Where To Stay Now 2012: The Ten Best New (Or Improved!) Texas Hotels

As a recent study of hotel booking trends pointed out, us Texans prefer to vacation in Texas. Since our last roundup of the state's most notable lodgings was in 2004, I thought it was high time to revisit the subject. So

The vice presidential debate

The first question from moderator Martha Raddatz was about the attack on the consulate in Libya: “Wasn’t this a massive intelligence failure?” Biden could only say, “What it was, was a tragedy.” Ryan: “It took the president two weeks to say this was a terrorist attack.” Biden said Ryan’s answer

ACL Music Festival attracts more than just music fans

The Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) kicks off today, and it isn’t just the music scene that is attracting hoards of attendees to the festival grounds. The food lineup is just as alluring as the assortment of bands scheduled to

D.C. panel clears South Carolina Voter I.D. law but not for 2012

From TPM [Talking Points Memo]A panel of federal judges ruled on Wednesday that South Carolina’s new voter ID does not have a discriminatory effect, but they also blocked it from going into effect in November.South Carolina had many of the same problems Texas encountered in trying to get

KHOU Mishandles Twitter Technology

KHOU ran a story about convicted rapist Abraham Joseph and next to it embedded a Twitter feed populating tweets related to the story. Unfortunately it pulled innocent @abrahamjoseph into its web.

Coming Soon: Where To Stay Now 2012

So I’ve been MIA from the blog lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse, as I’ve been busy putting the finishing touches on a Texas travel feature for our November issue. For the latest installment of “Where To Stay Now,” I picked up where

David Guerrero talks his two new restaurants EVO and Alma

Not long ago, I spoke with Houston chef David Guerrero shortly before Samba Grille – where Guerrero worked as head chef – unexpectedly closed. When I reached out to Guerrero after Samba Grille’s

La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival Takes Place Tonight

The 23rd La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival that sponsors the AMOA-Arthouse will take place tonight from 6-9 p.m. at Laguna Gloria. Food will be served from several Austin restaurants including East Side Showroom, Foreign & Domestic, Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill, Olive

What the Obscenely Rich Might Get for Christmas This Year

All I want for Christmas is . . . a jet pack? Yes, the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is here.

Post-argument report on Fisher v. UT

Here is some analysis from SCOTUSblog on the day’s proceedings: Analysis Affirmative action is alive but ailing, the idea of “critical mass” to measure racial diversity is in very critical condition, and a nine-year-old precedent may have to be reshaped in order to survive.  Those were the dominant

Tax beer? Bad ideer.

The Amarillo Globe-News recently published a story suggesting that lawmakers might contemplate raising the tax on draft beer. The tax was the suggestion of Dick Lavine, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Public Policy Priorities. The beer tax hasn’t been touched for some thirty years–and it

“Five myths about Latino voters”

This piece ran in the Washington Post on October 5. The author, Valerie Martinez-Ebers, is a professor of political science at the University of North Texas and is co-editor of the American Political Science Review. Her article follows: At their recent national conventions, the Democratic and Republican parties

Fisher v. UT case will be argued today

This morning the Supreme Court will hear the case of Fisher v. UT, which I wrote about in our April issue. SCOTUSblog has a thorough discussion of the case, parts of which appear below: America’s Constitution embraces the cultural ideal that all persons are equal, and that

A crucial judicial race

Texans elect the judges on the state’s two courts of last resort: the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. Except for the legal community, voters often don’t know much about the candidates. In a contested race, they tend to vote based on the party, not on the individual.