The Stand Up Desk
January 20, 2021
From the Editor: Wild Wes
Whatever your views are on hunting, I think you’ll find senior editor Wes Ferguson a clear-eyed guide to this timely topic.
The State
Meanwhile, in Texas
January 20, 2021
Meanwhile, in Texas: A Potbellied Pig Repeatedly Breaks Loose
Plus, Post Malone donates thousands of pairs of custom-made Crocs to students.
Made in Texas
January 20, 2021
Made in Texas: Psychic Outlaw Turns Quilts Into Jackets
Austin’s Rebecca Wright creates wearable art from treasured pieces, such as the overalls she recently made for musician Benny Blanco.
The Stand Up Desk
January 20, 2021
February 2021: Roar of the Crowd
Reader letters published in our February issue.
Books
January 20, 2021
Texas’s Most Famous Historian Looks Back at His Own, Legendary Life
Walter Prescott Webb’s previously unpublished memoir recounts the experiences that shaped his best-known—and most controversial—works.
BBQ
January 19, 2021
What Brisket and Chocolate Have in Common (Besides Being Delicious)
Tomball's Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue is one of the best smoked-meat joints in the state, but it pours its heart into its bean-to-bar confections.
Travel & Outdoors
January 16, 2021
Sanderson Is an Underrated, Adventurous West Texas Escape
This scrappy town on the edge of the Big Bend region has a trendy motel, pistol-packing waitresses, and starry nights aplenty.
Being Texan
January 15, 2021
Why Droves of Pilgrims Trek to This Tree in South Texas Every Year
Two decades ago, a woman bought a cutting from a nursery in the Rio Grande Valley. What grew was much bigger than a tree.
Art
January 14, 2021
Deborah Roberts Has Exhibited Art Worldwide. She Hasn’t Had a Solo Museum Show in Her Hometown—Until Now
The Austin artist has been creating distinctive, large-scale collages for years.
Politics & Policy
January 11, 2021
The Texas GOP Returns to Its Favorite Pastime: Infighting
With state government more firmly in Republican hands, the next year will feature a return of the Republican civil war. Here are the skirmishes to watch for.
Made in Texas
December 17, 2020
Made in Texas: Tomii Cycles
Japanese native Nao Tomii applies his sculpting background to the handmade bikes he produces at his Austin workshop.
Books
December 16, 2020
From the Editor: Books Are Back
We signed a deal to produce four books over the next four years. The first volume will go on sale next fall.
The Stand Up Desk
December 16, 2020
January 2021: Roar of the Crowd
Do the Right ThingI enjoy your articles each month, until it comes to your political writing. “Elephant Tricks,” from the elections coverage in your November issue, illustrates my concerns best. The article explains how the Republicans will continue to be wrong, not what they’ve done right
Politics & Policy
December 16, 2020
Gladden Pappin Wants to Make Conservatism Great Again
The University of Dallas professor is urging Republicans to build a post-Trump, big-tent, big-spending party that’s economically populist and socially conservative.
Recipes
December 16, 2020
Hot Pepper Jelly
Spread the love with this vibrant, versatile condiment that's a righteous kick to the system.
Texas History
December 15, 2020
What Happened at Pease River Wasn’t a Battle. It Was a Massacre.
How a Texas Ranger’s personal mythology came to be accepted as popular history.
Being Texan
December 15, 2020
Meanwhile, in Texas: A Woman is Reunited with Her Six-Years-Missing Dog
Plus, an intoxicated passenger forced a plane heading to Houston to land early in Alabama.
Health
December 14, 2020
The Families of Children With Unexplained Disabilities Are Finally Getting Answers
In Houston, genetic testing innovations are helping doctors solve decades-old mysteries.
Music
December 13, 2020
A Mariachi Choir in San Juan Has Drawn Faithful Fans for 35 Years
Even during the pandemic, visitors still travel to the Rio Grande Valley to hear the musical stylings of the famous devotional group.
Books
December 12, 2020
We Need to Talk About Secession
With chatter about Texas leaving the union on the rise, two new books remind us what it was like the last time we tried to go it alone.
Dining Guide
December 11, 2020
Dining Guide: Highlights From Our January 2021 Issue
What to order for takeout at restaurants around the state, plus some pro tips.
Travel & Outdoors
December 10, 2020
Cold-Water Paddling Is for the Brrrave
Winter kayaking and canoeing are catching on, even among heat-loving Texans.
Texas History
November 20, 2020
A Trove of Vintage Photos Reveals a Bygone Texas—and Beyond
A Houston exhibit of images scavenged from junk shops and flea markets offers a view of the past that anticipates the present.
Meanwhile, in Texas
November 18, 2020
Meanwhile, in Texas: An Austin Man Built a Robot Named Artie and a Candy-Shooting Cannon
Plus, a horse cloned from an endangered Mongolian breed was born at a Canyon veterinary hospital.
Dining Guide
November 18, 2020
Dining Guide: Highlights From Our December 2020 Issue
What to order for takeout (plus pro tips) at restaurants around the state.
The Stand Up Desk
November 18, 2020
December 2020: Roar of the Crowd
Reader letters published in our December issue.
Made in Texas
November 16, 2020
Our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
We've rounded up dozens of thoughtful gifts made by Texans, for Texans.
Politics & Policy
November 9, 2020
How Did a Florida Man Become the Face of the Texas Republican Party?
Texas GOP chairman Allen West is at war with the governor and in love with the camera.
Pat’s Pick
November 6, 2020
Party of None: What I Miss About Restaurants
After her four decades of dining across Texas came to a halt in the pandemic, Pat Sharpe realizes that what makes a meal special goes way beyond the food.
Music
October 28, 2020
Billy Joe Shaver, the Blustery, Tenderhearted Country Star Known as the “Wacko From Waco,” Dies of a Stroke
After contracting COVID-19 earlier this year, the musician had spent most of this past summer in isolation—where he was still writing songs.
Film & TV
October 23, 2020
From the Editor: Going Hollywood
Texas Monthly is making big moves into film and television.
Dining Guide
October 20, 2020
Dining Guide: Highlights From Our November 2020 Issue
What to order for takeout (plus pro tips) at restaurants around the state.
Politics & Policy
October 14, 2020
From the Editor, November 2020: “BBQ, Boots—and Ballots”
An ambitious politics cover package ahead of the 2020 election wouldn't have been possible without these key players.
Tacos
October 14, 2020
Are Japanese Tacos the Next Big Thing in Texas?
Two new Dallas concepts expertly combine Asian and Mexican flavors and methods, and a new concept from the chefs at Mixtli, in San Antonio, will soon do the same.
Made in Texas
October 14, 2020
How Venny Etienne’s Jacket for Beyoncé Inspired His Latest Collection
Venny Etienne's newest Levenity line is based on the floral military jacket the Houston icon dons in ‘Black Is King.'
Music
October 14, 2020
Why Quinn Mason, a 24-Year-Old Composer From Dallas, May Be Classical Music’s Next Superstar
Mason, one of the most sought-after young composers in the country, has a new work set to premiere in November.
Libations
October 14, 2020
Has Texas Developed Its Own Style of Bourbon?
These five new grain-to-glass releases are proof that the state’s still-young whiskey industry is developing a bold regional profile.
Being Texan
October 14, 2020
This Year, Our Family’s Día de los Muertos Altar Will Memorialize Those Who Have Died From the Coronavirus
The ofrenda we build to honor loved ones will include not only our distant past but also the very sorrow that we’re living through now.
Parks & Recs
October 14, 2020
Where to Find Fall’s True Colors in Texas
At Lost Maples State Natural Area, the trees put on a spectacular show every autumn.
Meanwhile, in Texas
October 14, 2020
Meanwhile, in Texas: An Abilene Man Used a Golf Club to Fish a Snake out of His Toilet
Plus, fifty thousand purple martins descended on a parking lot in McAllen.
Books
October 14, 2020
Six Good Texas Book Festival Reads
This year’s festival is all-virtual, but its lineup is still all-star, as demonstrated by this trio of recent books from Texas authors.
The Stand Up Desk
October 14, 2020
November 2020: Roar of the Crowd
Reader letters published in our November issue.
The Texanist
October 5, 2020
The Texanist: What Old Texas Games Can I Get My Screen-Addicted Kids to Play?
A Houston mom has had it with Minecraft.
Film & TV
September 23, 2020
How Danny Trejo Built a Decades-Long Film Career After Prison
After years of playing ex-cons and bodyguards, the prolific actor became an iconic leading man in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete series.
The Culture
September 16, 2020
Top Dog: An Oral History of ‘Wishbone’
The kids’ television program, helmed by a crop of Texan theatrical talents, landed on PBS 25 years ago.
The Stand Up Desk
September 16, 2020
From the Editor, October 2020: “Learning to Listen”
How Skip Hollandsworth does it.
Books
September 16, 2020
The Late, Great Bud Shrake’s Last, Great Novel
The funny and brutal ‘Hollywood Mad Dogs’ was inspired by the Texas writer's experience working in Hollywood with the legendary—and very demanding—Steve McQueen.
Politics & Policy
September 16, 2020
Build the Ike Dike!
Instead of wasting time on tiresome culture wars, Texas’s political leaders ought to be thinking big. They could start by saving Houston from disaster.
The Stand Up Desk
September 16, 2020
October 2020: Roar of the Crowd
Reader letters published in our October issue.
Travel & Outdoors
September 16, 2020
Five Great Gravel-Grinding Routes in Texas
Where cyclists can pedal past some stunning views and historic sites.