Let’s be honest. We knew on the first day of the session that unless Bill Ratliff lost his mind, he was going to be on the Best list. Everybody knew. He is, as one lobbyist put it, “a redwood among the pines.” The question then became what new phrases we
She was Madame Defarge, knitting the names of future victims into the quilt of her memory. Beverly Woolley personified the worst aspect of the new Republican majority in the House: its insatiable appetite for payback against Democrats. And what had the Democrats done, really, except run the state for 130
Best Alternative Nickname for The Killer D’sWeapons of Mass ObstructionBest Souvenir Killer D’s playing cardsU.S. forces in Iraq used playing cards bearing the likenesses of Saddam Hussein and his henchmen to hunt them down. When the Democrats fled the Capitol to defeat the congressional-redistricting bill, political consultant James Bernsen came
Dear Arlene, Another session, another letter. Two years ago we wrote to warn you that we were about to ruin your standing with your conservative pals by naming you to the Best list. But you can’t blame us this year. It’s your own fault. Your Republican colleagues were having the
Platon, who photographed the former president for the cover, discusses portraiture and creating the perfect image.
It was a session like no other: different rules, new power players, a surprise trip to Oklahoma, and the small matter of a $9.9 billion budget shortfall. All of which made it tricky to separate the heroes from the zeroes. But we did.
Editor Evan Smith talks about interviewing George H. W. Bush.
The NFL star who went to pot.
The Capitol building's history is as colorful as its exterior.
With the passing of Maury Maverick, Jr., Texas liberalsreal ones, not watered-down versionsare nearing extinction.
If Texas politics is your thing and you live in Austin, sometimes you want to go where every lobbyist knows your name. And they're always glad you came.
Every day the new politics of abortion play out at clinics like the one in Bryan–College Station, where emotions run high and Roe v. Wade is almost beside the point.
Why Texas politics will never be the same.
Cool off this summer at one of these ten recreational Texas lakes.
AMERICAN PIE We hold this truth to be self-evident: that no Fourth of July celebration is complete without the consumption of vast quantities of fried chicken, potato salad, cherry pie, and such. If you don’t have a time-honored family recipe for cherry pie, you might consider starting a tradition by
WATER WORLD Take to the water the Texas way this summer—in a tube on a river. If you want sustenance afterward, check out these three favorites of ours. The behemoth of Central Texas river restaurants is the 950-seat Gristmill in the historic hamlet of Gruene, on the Guadalupe. With nearly
"The worst thing you can do is formulate paragraph-long answers in advance. Keep it simple, stupid."
"I felt free to express my opinions. But if I was going to make a speech and I was talking about policy, I'd choose my words carefully."
IT’S NOT THE HEAT, IT’S THE ECCENTRICITY If you’re the type of person who gets tired of festivals in which the highlight is a parade of Shriners in small cars, mark the weekend of July 25, when a few events around the state promise to be a little different. Take
AQUI ESTAMOS Latino culture flits on and off the general public’s radar screen, but in Texas, it’s a constant, with a highly visible arts scene. This month there are a few noteworthy events that you won’t want to miss. July 15—September 21: San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum opens “Fantastic Zoology:
THE WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS With the boys of summer going strong long into the fall, you’ll have plenty of time to grab a hot dog and a beer, sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during a seventh-inning stretch, and strive to catch a foul ball. So forgo
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY Around this time of year, when the heat index hovers in the hundreds, folks start dreaming of cooler temperatures and places north, as in the Pole. But on the weekend of July 25—27, we recommend you travel south, to the tip of Texas. Yeah, it will be hot—just
Senior editor Pamela Colloff discusses abortion, access, and what it's like to work on an emotionally charged story.
Dining at the Governor's Mansion (Texas A&M University Press, 2003)
"If you start feeling sorry for yourself, if you point fingers and get angry at this person or that, what good does it do?"
I'm mental over the Dixie Chicks.
"The conventional wisdom is that you have to make him perfect. But today, humanity is more important than perfection."
"I had to live my life as productively as I could, despite what people would say behind my back."
"If you want the speaker to sound warm and welcoming, spend an hour with her, hear her voice, and capture it on paper."
In a rare interview, George H.W. Bush—a.k.a. the Former Leader of the Free World—disses Newt and the Dixie Chicks, muses on the restorative powers of Maine, and (who'd have imagined?) has nice things to say about the current occupant of the Oval Office.
Ten years. More than three hundred women murdered. What is going on in Juárez? And why aren't the Mexican authorities doing something about it?
Dulce de Leche Icing 1 fourteen-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup pecan halves 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanillaMake dulce de leche: Remove label from can and punch two small holes at opposite sides of lid. Set can in
Poached Peaches1 one-inch piece fresh ginger 2 cinnamon sticks 1 tablespoon lemon juice 6 ripe peaches or 1 1/2 pounds frozen sliced peachesPlace 6 cups of water in a saucepan along with ginger, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, add peaches, lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Three South Padre Island artists work on the beach, but don't call them bums.
The tiny German settlement of Fredericksburg, which overcame disease and Comanche attacks, blossomed into a thriving community rich in traditionand it still is today.
For a great Hill Country getaway, we headed to Llano, where we took in some art and sipped local wine.
What store carries more than 2,500 labels of wine, around eighty types of breads and pastries, and more than six hundred varieties of cheese? Central Market, of course.
Executive editor S. C. Gwynne talks about Al Gonzales, getting access, and Washington politics.
Associate editor John Spong talks about Owen Wilson and "The Story of O."
Writer-at-large Suzy Banks talks about fuzz, a parade, and where to find the best Texas peaches.
Writer-at-large Cecilia Ballí describes what it is like to be in Juárez, where hundreds of women have been murdered in the past ten years.
Roasted Plums16 fresh red plums (or apricots or other stone fruit)1 cup Essensia dessert winegrated zest of 1 orangegrated zest of 1 lemon1/2 cup sugar1 cinnamon stickseeds of 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract)2 black peppercornsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the plums in half and remove
Grilled Squid1 pound rinsed squid 3 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper to tasteOne day ahead: Place all squid tubes (bodies) and tentacles in a large bowl. Add the oil, salt, and pepper. Be sure to coat the squid in oil. Make sure that the fire on the grill is
Around Christmas a couple of years ago I began to miss the pickled peaches. They were associated in my mind with childhood holidays and good times, but it must have been decades since I had last tasted them. Thinking I might take some to the family gathering in East Texas,
William H. Rehnquist Age: 78 // Years on Bench: 31 1 : The speculation: As Republican appointees, O’Connor and Rehnquist are more likely to retire while a Republican is in office and during a nonelection year (read: This summer sure looks good). Otherwise, they risk having to wait at
It’ll take all your discipline to save a few juicy peaches for cooking, but these recipes for salad, cake, and napoleons will make it worth the trouble.
Ah, the supremely simple pleasure of picking a ripe peach from the tree! Unfortunately, many who are used to this annual rite of summer will be disappointed this year, because a late freeze decimated the Hill Country crop. “We are looking at a 99.999 percent loss,” says James Kamas, of
His post-phenom life.
