With Fort Worth’s Michael Auping as a curator and nine of the state’s artists participating, this year’s Whitney Biennial puts a New York spotlight on the art of Texas.
For years Dallas’ most prolific jewel thief robbed the mansions of socialites like Nancy Brinker and Annette Simmons. If not for his girlfriend’s crack use, he might have gotten away with it forever.
AUDREY JONES BECKHouston, $80 millionForty-seven Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings valued at an estimated $80 MILLION to the MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON. The paintings, which include works by Cézanne, Monet, and Renoir, have been on display at the museum since 1974 along with 23 others previously donated by Mrs. Beck
Gingerbread PancakesAsk the folks queued up at the Magnolia Cafe what their favorite breakfast dish is, and nine times out of ten the answer will be gingerbread pancakes. You can put syrup on these fat, fluffy beauties, but they’re great just by themselves. Recipe from Magnolia Cafe, Austin.Buttermilk BiscuitsRolled,
FRED THOMSON COUPER AND MARY FRANCES BOWLES COUPERHouston, $10 millionA home, eighteen wooded acres, art, and furniture valued at a total of $10 MILLION to MEMORIAL HERMANN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, in Houston. When the Coupers no longer live in the house, it will be converted into a wellness center. Mrs. Couper
BILL AND ANGIE BARRETTDallas, $1 million$1 MILLION to the UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER AT DALLAS to establish the Barrett Family Center for Pediatric Oncology. Mr. Barrett is the chairman of Willow Distributors.LOUIS A. BEECHERL, JR.Dallas, $1 million$1 MILLION to the UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN to fund programs
What do Tom Hicks, Jerry Jones, and Charles Barkley have in common? They’re all good sports — and they were three of Texas’ top philanthropists last year.
Cinnamon-Pumpkin EmpanadasThe incredibly flaky, yeasty crust of these empanadas is so good—and so easy to make—that you’ll immediately abandon all other recipes. The pumpkin filling, also a breeze, is traditionally Mexican. Recipe from Esperanza’s Cafe (Joe T. Garcia’s Bakery), Fort Worth.Potato Pancakes With Sour Cream-Chipotle SauceMost people look at
Recipes for the state’s best breakfasts, including empanadas from Joe T. Garcia’s Bakery in Fort Worth, smoked-salmon omelets from benjy’s in Houston, and gingerbread pancakes from Austin’s Magnolia Cafe.
Fruit-and-Nut GranolaNo retro granola, the Houstonian’s classy version updates the multigrain cereal of the sixties with almonds, pistachios, and a medley of dried fruits, including cranberries, currants, and apricots. Recipe from The Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa, Houston.Scrambled Egg Whites With Shiitake Mushrooms and Roma TomatoesThe surprising thing about
Orange-Glazed MuffinWith a hint or two, you might guess that these decadent orange muffins are made with sour cream. But would you ever imagine that the secret ingredient is olive oil? The flavor doesn’t intrude, it just adds a subtle richness. Recipe from Cipollina, Austin.Smoked-Salmon Omelet with CapersAs long
Houstonian Chris Rogers shows more poise and less noise with her third Dixie Flannigan mystery, Chill Factor (Bantam). The story, centered around a group of granny bandits who drop the dishcloth and take up armed bank robbery, tracks well and neatly wraps up with a tight curtain closer. Tough-gal Dixie
Three tracks deep into Something Happened, “Peace of Mind” jolts to a start with a ricochet drum beat. Close behind, electric guitars bleat in accompaniment as Seela begins to sing: “Peace of mind, peace of mind, I’ve been doing fine without you here.” Seemingly nothing special, a simple melody; but
If the gods hadn’t meant us to laugh, they wouldn’t have given us Jim Hightower. The rabidly populist Austinite (and former Texas ag commissioner) inspires chuckles all around as he champions workaday Americans in If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates (HarperCollins). Needless
Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s voice reminds me of reading the Bible. The speech is so stilted and hopelessly antiquated, it somehow rings poetic. Since 1991’s groundbreaking After Awhile, though, the voice and the songs seem to have been either muddled in the mix or overwhelmed by bombast passing for production values.
In this quaintly addictive tale, the house of the title is a sort of anti-bordello for women, where the male residents provide lovelorn ladies not with sex but with solace, sweetness, and romance. The adroitness with which Kathy Hepinstall carries off this surreal premise is all the more impressive given
Rob Roy Parnell’s Jacksboro Highway (Blue Rocket) manages to pay righteous homage to jump blues, T-Bone Walker, the Jacksboro Highway, and the Texas roadhouse experience on this eleven-song compilation produced by his brother, Lee Roy.
Mean Gene Kelton’s Most Requested (Avatar) offers fifteen scorching boogie and blues tracks, including the signature “My Baby Don’t Wear No Panties” from the journeyman Houston bar warrior, with his two sons as his rhythm section.
Catfish, Carp, and Diamonds: 35 Years of Texas Blues (Catfish), a survey of homegrown sounds recorded by folk scholar Tary Owens, includes tracks by the Grey Ghost, Mance Lipscomb, and Dave Tippen, an elderly prisoner who delivers a heart-wrenching performance recorded behind prison walls.
Little Jack Melody and His Young Turks’ Noise and Smoke (Kilroy), celebrating Texas’ most twisted cabaret act, finally captures the group in its element (i.e., recorded live). . . . Catfish, Carp, and Diamonds: 35 Years of Texas Blues (Catfish), a survey of homegrown sounds recorded by folk scholar Tary
Slaid Cleaves is a craftsman. Broke Down, his second national release, is carved and polished just so, the work of someone who has studied his influences: Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Bruce Springsteen. Lured to Austin from Portland, Maine, a decade ago by the work of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock,
From the late forties into the early sixties, the Big “D” Jamboree was Dallas’ answer to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport. Broadcasting live from the Sportatorium on KRLD, the Jamboree was a favored stop for touring stars as well as a launching pad
Although they hate to let anyone get away with murder, Harris County detectives Harry Fikaris and Roger Wedgeworth are finding that cracking unsolved cases is no easy task.
East Texas native George Dawson couldn’t read until he was 98. Now, at 102, he’s written a memoir. Next up: a high school equivalency diploma—but no driving.
He looks like a cross between Ed Asner and Uncle Charley from My Three Sons, but don’t get Dave Hickey started on the subject of beauty— his own or anyone else’s.
San Antonio's Carver Center builds for the future with groundbreaking productions. Plus: A picture-perfect exhibit opens at the Dallas Museum of Art; celebrities open the book on Texas letters in Dallas; a capital gang heads to Odessa; and a music symposium composes itself in Georgetown.
In these days of online overkill, it’s rare for someone not to be plugged into a computer, particularly someone who works for magazines and newspapers. This month we welcome a newcomer to the world of high technology: Dallas illustrator Dorit Rabinovitch. A veteran artist who usually does her color work
1 thick slice good-quality bread, your choice 1 pat butter, melted 1 eggBrush bread with melted butter on both sides and cut a hole about 2 1/2 inches in diameter in the center of each slice. Put the bread in a large skillet over medium heat, break an
Mushroom-Tomato Side Dishsalt and pepper to taste 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced or cut in 1/2-inch dice (other flavorful mushrooms may be substituted) 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 Roma tomatoesSalt and pepper mushrooms. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook mushrooms until lightly
2 eggs, separated 21/2 cups milk 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 4 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup European or other high-quality dark chocolate, cut or broken into chunks a little larger than a chocolate chip.Beat egg whites until
2 pounds unpeeled Idaho potatoes, cut in 3/4-inch cubes 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup chopped bell peppers, green, red, or yellow 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s) 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper Tabasco sauce to taste (optional) 3/4 cup grated
Flourless Chocolate Cake12 ounces European or other good-quality dark chocolate 2 sticks unsalted butter 6 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 tablespoon vanilla extractNote: You will need 4 four-inch heart-shaped pans or 1 nine-inch round or heart-shaped pan, greased and lined with parchment paper.Preheat oven to 350
Recipe from Bistral, DallasDressing1 cup plain yogurt (low-fat if desired) 1/2 cup sour cream (low-fat if desired) 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon lemon juiceMix all ingredients together.Fresh Fruit1 cup halved green grapes 1 cup diced cantaloupe 1 cup diced pineapple 1 cup quartered
Pumpkin Filling1 15-ounce can pumpkin 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ginger (optional) 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)Mix ingredients together and set aside.Empanada Dough1/3 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/4-ounce packages dry yeast (41/2 teaspoons) 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Sauce2 teaspoons prepared chipotle sauce 1/3 cup sour cream (low-fat if desired) 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)Whisk ingredients together. Warm in a pan or microwave oven before serving.Potato Pancakes2 3/4 pounds unpeeled red potatoes 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 4 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
Muffins4 eggs 11/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup olive oil zest of 3 oranges 11/2 cups sour cream 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound cake flour (about 37/8 cups unsifted cake flour; you may substitute 31/2 cups all-purpose flour, but the texture of the
