Texas Monthly

The Winter Storm, in Photos: How Texans Are Surviving the Historic Freeze

As multiple crises unfold across the state, photographers captured Texans doing their damnedest to keep warm and safe.

Dining Guide: Highlights From Our February 2021 Issue

Texas Monthly adds and updates approximately sixty restaurant listings to our Dining Guide each month. There’s limited space in the print issue, but the entire searchable guide to the best of Texas cuisine is at your fingertips online!Below are a few highlights from the new restaurants reviewed in our February 2021 issue.

Texas Monthly Recommends: Nighttime Kayaking

Plus: the cult classic ‘Veronica Mars,’ Selena Gomez's new single, and a plant-based burger joint.

February 2021: Roar of the Crowd

Reader letters published in our February issue.

The 19-Year-Old Funeral Home Employee Facing a Flood of “Death Calls”

Last month, Donavan Diaz planned as many funerals as he might have in six months pre-pandemic.

“This Pandemic Isn’t Finished With Us Yet. Until Then, I’m Sleeping With One Eye Open.” 

Chefs, musicians, gardeners, and one very enthusiastic librarian tell Texas Monthly about their New Year’s rituals and plans for 2021.

The Texas Tunes That Helped Get Us Through 2020

The smash singles, country albums, and even a bardcore remix that moved staffers this past year.

Ten Texas Books We Loved in 2020

Looking for a great read over the holidays? From fiction to memoir, cooking to comics, Texas Monthly writers recommend a few favorites.

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San Antonio’s Bus Drivers Stepped Up During the Pandemic

Watch the video to follow Bobby Richardson and others as they deliver food, and support, to the families along their routes.

Unwilling to Call in an Exterminator, 89-Year-Old Carlene Stalks a Tiny Foe

I’ve been living in my house for 31 years, and I never had a mouse in the house. Well, a few days after Thanksgiving I found a candy wrapper on the floor beneath my kitchen compactor. It was one of those Kind bars, with nuts in them. I

Texas Monthly Recommends: A West Texas Animal Shelter

Plus: the pleasures of pickling, a feminist take on the Mexican Revolution, and a Georgetown jeweler.

The Ten Most Memorable Things Influential Texans Told Us This Year

These are our favorite quotes from the actors, musicians, business leaders, and other prominent people who appeared in our pages.

The 2021 Bum Steer Awards

Let’s face it: this was no one’s favorite year. Here are a few dozen reasons why.

2021 Bum Steer of the Year: The Texas Democratic Party

Because it grew so overconfident about its ability to win Texas that it didn’t bother to figure out how to win Texas, the state’s Democratic party is our Bum Steer of the Year!

Bum Steer Awards, 2021: Get Ready for the Amazing Adventures of PAXT-MAN!

Can you help Texas's attorney general escape the long arm of the law?

Bum Steer Awards 2021: The COVID Nineteen

The not-quite-twenty Texans who spectacularly disgraced themselves during the pandemic.

The Best Things in Texas 2021

Not everything that happened last year was terrible. Here are a few reasons we kept hope alive.

Dining Guide: Highlights From Our January 2021 Issue

What to order for takeout at restaurants around the state, plus some pro tips.

Ten Great Vacation Rentals Vetted by Texas Monthly Writers

From a stargazing spot in Terlingua to a lakefront cabin in the Hill Country, these are a few of our writers’ favorite getaways.

Roundup: Texas Elections 2020

Donald Trump wins the state, John Cornyn defeats MJ Hegar, and Democrats fail to make substantial gains in Congress or the Legislature.

Texas Book Festival 2020

The Austin-based celebration of literary culture begins October 31.

Welcome to Battleground Texas

Willie: A Special Project

Dive into this collection devoted to Willie Nelson where you’ll find new essays about the Red Headed Stranger, our new podcast "One by Willie," a comprehensive ranking of every album Willie ever published, and more.

Tom Brown’s Body

In 2016 a popular teenager disappeared in the tiny Panhandle community of Canadian, Texas. Two years later, his remains were discovered beneath a tree outside of town. But to this day, no arrests have been made, and nearly everyone involved in the case has fallen under suspicion. Beginning September 29,

Announcing Our New Podcast ‘One by Willie’

Join senior editor John Spong and artists you love for intimate conversations about the Willie songs that mean the most to them.

Get Ready for a New Season of Texas Monthly’s Sound Check Music Series

A special quarantine edition kicks off August 11 and will feature backyard performances by some of your favorite artists.

Roundup: Texas Primary Runoffs 2020

MJ Hegar defeated Royce West in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Troy Nehls crushes Kathaleen Wall in Fort Bend County, and other key results.

Texas Monthly Recommends: Netflix’s Adaptation of ‘The Baby-Sitters Club’

Plus, re-creating a classic Texas cookie and sampling H-E-B's drive-through barbecue.

First Look: Austin’s Most Anticipated Grand Hotel

The 1928 Commodore Perry mansion has been restored to its former glory and turned into an upscale resort unlike anything in the city. Join us on a virtual tour.

How I Became “The Guy Who Waves”

During the pandemic, Sam Waring put a sign in his yard: ”If the Curtain’s Open, Give Us a Wave, Eh?” Passersby obliged.

The Best and the Bums: Streets of Rage

A little girl responds to unspeakable loss, the governor de-escalates, black trail-riders take Discovery Green, Ted Cruz’s craven response to military force, and a guy with a sword in Deep Ellum.

What to Read Now

Stuck at home? Run out of shows to binge-watch? We have a few suggestions.

Sweet Relief: Your To-Go Guide to 19 Favorite Texas Bakeries

Where (and how) to get those treats you need right now, from flaky croissants and freshly made kolaches to addictive churros.

A Rural Nurse Has Just About Had It

Suzanne Ohlmann is a heart failure nurse based in San Antonio, serving rural Texas. On Facebook, she’s waging a war against misinformation.

Listen to ‘For the Love of Willie,’ a Texas Monthly Radio Hour

On April 25, an uninterrupted hour on KUTX delved into the backstories of some favorite Willie songs—including a few you’ve probably never heard.

What You Should Know About the Coronavirus in Texas

Check back each day for updated figures about the number of COVID-19 cases in our state.

“We Touch Everything That You Touch”

I’ve been employed with Austin Resource Recovery for sixteen years. I’ve always wanted to work for the city. It’s good benefits: it’s a job that a lot of people want. It’s steady, and you know it’s something that you can depend on and your family can depend on.

Texas Monthly Bedtime Stories

Stressed? Can’t sleep? Curl up at home and let our writers help you escape into a great story.

With Salons Closed, an 89-Year-Old Houston Woman Washes Her Own Hair for the First Time in Decades

Unable to make her weekly appointment because of social distancing, Carlene takes her hair into her own hands.

An Eighth Grader Battles Existential Gloom, Watches Netflix

The kids are alright, but they’re getting a little bored.

How to Hunker Down Like a Texan

A guide to catching up on great culture from around the state while you’re holed up in isolation.

Haunting Scenes of a Pandemic-Induced Standstill

Images from across the state capture our eerily historic moment.

Fishin’ Across Texas

We’re calling it: Texas has the best fishing in the United States.Alaska and Florida are right up there. California is too, we guess. But what many Texans may not appreciate—even those of us who grew up casting lines—is the impressive diversity of fishing in the Lone Star State. Most of

“We’re Prepared for Just About Anything That Comes”

On a remote property near Terlingua, a prepper community is thriving.

Mark Cuban’s Advice for Texas Small Business Owners

The tech entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner took reader questions about how to navigate the coronavirus crisis.

A Minister on the Border Tries to Keep Despair at Bay

There are about 2,000 migrants in the camp now. It changes every day—20 new families arrive, then 40 leave. Two months ago, the government made everyone move from the plaza—a park near the bridge—to the river bank. They were

He Hoped Sheltering in Place Would Save His Marriage. Instead, It Led to Divorce.

“I guess the pandemic didn’t exactly end my marriage. It just revealed that it no longer really existed.”

A Pharmacist Struggles to Keep up With Demand During the Coronavirus Pandemic

In the face of specious medical advice and hoarding, Dallas pharmacist Emile Abdo tries to keep vital medications in stock.

Introducing Texas Monthly’s Living Room Sessions

An ongoing series of recorded-from-home segments, brought to you by beloved Texas musicians.

Tips and Suggestions for To-Go Orders (Yes, Get the Large Queso)

Our Dining Guide contributors share highlights from recent food pickups and deliveries.