Hierarchy Films

KRIV FOX 26 Houston Live report on Air Jordan Shoes on 12/23/2011 which turns Ghetto fast

2011-12-24T09:14:00.002-06:00

Bonus Crust

2011-09-19T11:49:00.000-05:00

My Tony's frozen pizza came with an extra crust underneath it. And to me, that's funny...

081311 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Battery and Recording Time Test Featuring iRobot Roomba 560

2011-08-15T12:50:00.001-05:00

August 13, 2011
iRobot Roomba 560
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 practical longevity test.
Original video: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ended at limit of 8gb card in camera.
Camera battery lasted approximately 5 minutes further.
Standard iRobot 1-hour cleaning cycle of 1st floor.

Funny Voice Mail Of The Day

2011-08-03T08:37:00.000-05:00

Press Release: Phone-hacking scandal highlights danger of intrusive government

2011-07-19T11:47:00.000-05:00

http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/phone-hacking-scandal-highlights-danger-of-intrusive-government

Press Release
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Phone-hacking scandal highlights danger of intrusive government
WASHINGTON - Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle release the following statement today:
"As I have watched this tabloid phone-hacking scandal unfold, I have been reminded about how delicate our privacy is, and how vulnerable we are to government intrusion into our lives.
"If it's so easy for journalists and private detectives to hack into our emails and phones, just think how much the government, with its much greater resources, can pry into our lives.
"If we find that Apple's iPhones are tracking us, we can stop using their service. And if we find they have harmed us, we can sue them. But if we find that the government is tracking us, there's not much we can do except protest -- and even then, the government often uses our tax dollars to pay for propaganda saying 'There's nothing to worry about.'
"It shows why it is so important that government be strictly limited in its power; and that the public have complete information about what bureaucrats and law enforcement agents are doing.
"The more crimes there are on the books, the more excuses government officials have to sneak peeks at every detail of our private lives.
"Violating other people's privacy is addictive. It's human nature. Once people gain the power to spy on other people's lives, they want to do it more and more. They will constantly seek new ways to do it, and more excuses to justify doing it.
"The government is always threatening to turn into Big Brother. That's why it is so important for vigilant defenders of liberty to fight back: not only to rely on the courts for protection, but to make sure that we only elect politicians who will respect our right to privacy.
"Unfortunately, President Obama does not respect our privacy. He has continued the warrantless wiretapping policy of the George W. Bush administration, and he has even expanded Bush's "state secrets" doctrine, to make it harder for the accused and the public to keep an eye on what his administration is up to.
"Republicans and Democrats in Congress recently joined hands to renew several unjust and unconstitutional provisions of the Patriot Act. I hope voters will punish them for doing that. In November 2012, I hope voters will recognize that Libertarian candidates consistently adhere to the Constitution and respect all of our rights."
The Libertarian Party platform includes the following:
"1.2 Personal Privacy
Libertarians support the rights recognized by the Fourth Amendment to be secure in our persons, homes, and property. Protection from unreasonable search and seizure should include records held by third parties, such as email, medical, and library records. Only actions that infringe on the rights of others can properly be termed crimes. We favor the repeal of all laws creating 'crimes' without victims, such as the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes."
For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.
The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.
###

THE NEW LOFT

2011-06-16T09:25:00.001-05:00

THE NEW LOFT

By **** ****

Congratulations on your new trendy loft,
I would not have it at any cost.

No homeless or riff raff live in your abode,
Because they are all loitering down by the road.

Yes, it is true I live in “Skeezerville”,
With poor white trash & abundant road kill.

Most of the trash live in a hovel,
But they never give us any trouble.

I can walk out to my street or barn,
And not worry about bodily harm.

So you may want to consider some mace or pack heat,
Or learn some karate kicks for your feet.

If you do indeed buy a baker’s rack-
When you carry it up- watch your back.

This original poem by **** **** is dedicated to Tracey & Russ in honor of their new apartment.

Is your job boring?

2011-06-13T21:27:00.002-05:00

These guys are about 15 stories up in this video...and started at the top of the building...the Commerce Towers in Downtown Houston.

Funny voice mail of the day.

2011-05-21T13:27:00.000-05:00

U.P.S.

2011-05-17T13:30:00.000-05:00

Useless Piece of Shit

Just a little reminder to myself...NEVER use UPS when ordering computer parts.

Really, how do they consistently do this to packages? Boxes can take a lot of abuse, but three days in the hands of UPS and they are destroyed.

Funny voicemail of the day...

2011-05-09T15:35:00.000-05:00

POLL: After hearing the news that Osama bin Laden was killed, what are your feelings about the War in Afghanistan?

2011-05-09T14:15:00.001-05:00

Click here to cast your vote!

Indira in 3D

2011-04-12T17:19:00.000-05:00

Red/cyan anaglyph shot with the Fujifilm W3:

Stupid voice mail of the day...

2011-04-10T20:27:00.001-05:00

Libertarians call for permanent government shutdown

2011-04-08T15:07:00.002-05:00

News

APR 2011
Libertarians call for permanent government shutdown
WASHINGTON - As elected officials put on a dog-and-pony media show about a temporary shutdown of small parts of the federal government, the Libertarian Party calls for a permanent shutdown of most of the federal government.
Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict said, "Just think how a permanent government shutdown would allow so many Americans to regain the blessings of liberty.

Click here for the full story: http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/libertarians-call-for-permanent-government-shutdown

The coolest thing I've ever read on Wikipedia...or maybe the entire interweb...

2011-04-01T00:48:00.001-05:00

During the bridge of the song where Roth says "I can barely see the road from the heat comin' off of it," guitarist Eddie Van Halen can be heard revving his Lamborghini in the background. The car was backed up to the studio and microphones were attached to the exhaust pipe to record the sound for the song.

Eado then, and now...

2011-03-20T15:07:00.000-05:00

January 14, 2001 Eado, Houston, Texas

March 20, 2011, it's now the Live Oak Lofts:

Macro/Close Up Tests on the Lumix GH1

2011-03-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

Just some comparison shots, FWIW...

Olympus OM 50mm lens at f2.8 with B+W 49ES NL 3 Close-Up Lens:

Olympus OM 50mm lens at f2.8 without filter:

Panasonic 45mm f2.8 Macro Lens at f2.8, with UV filter attached:

03.11.11 Downtown/EaDo Houston Fire

2011-03-11T16:33:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure what was on fire, it may have been in one of the lower lanes/underpasses on 59 near the Holiday Inn/George R Brown downtown. The Houston Fire Department seemed to put it out as quickly as it started...I barely got time to get my pocket camera rolling...

Maybe here:

View Larger Map

Another shot at Chicago Style Pizza...

2011-03-10T21:37:00.000-06:00

Wheat crust on bottom.
Italian sausage layer. (I'm not using sausage anymore...I'm going to try ground turkey and Italian seasoning instead. Italian sausage is just too destructive.)
Yellow peppers, green bell peppers, and yellow onions layer.
Mozzarella cheese layer.
Turkey pepperoni layer.
Another wheat crust layer.
Kroger spaghetti sauce layer on top.
More Mozzarella cheese on top.

Express Checkout

2011-03-04T12:43:00.004-06:00

In plain sight...

2011-03-03T09:56:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I took these pics while going down the freeway at 65mph on the way to Meineke. It's NASA trying to hide top secret aircraft based on highly advanced alien technology, "in plain sight", after a crash landing.

The wooden crates on the trailer contain the remains of alien-human "hybrid" pilots, who were engineered to fly the sophisticated aircraft and sustain the heavy gravitational forces it generates...too much for humans to handle...

02.23.11 Mini The Destructive Cat

2011-02-28T18:15:00.002-06:00

MOTHBALLED...the Fender Squier Katana

2011-02-27T20:57:00.000-06:00

My bass of 20+ years. Love...hate. In the pics, the strap lugs are removed, because they were actually big flat-washers/screws that I had used permanently attach a nylon strap when I bought it. I couldn't afford Schallers back then, and used the same screw/washer setup on my Strat knockoff. I unbolted the neck last night so that it would fit in the cheap Amazon.com case I bought for it, since I now have a new Yamaha RBX374 to bang on. The Katana was a bitch to play since it was so unbalanced, but fortunately...I'm not a musician...

EADO: Fire Causes Lofts at the Ballpark Evacuation

2011-02-18T17:09:00.000-06:00

Fire Causes Lofts at the Ballpark Evacuation: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

Easy slow-cooker gumbo!

2011-02-16T20:46:00.005-06:00

Add this to the list of one of the best things I ever ate...at least when it comes to stuff made by me. Of course, it ain't as good as my Momma's authentic Louisiana gumbo, but considering how EASY this is to make, it's pretty damned amazing. Like most slow-cooker recipes, it's pretty much just throwing stuff in the pot. It's also better than anything I ate on our recent trip to New Orleans. How easy is it? How fast can you roughly cut an onion, and open a plastic bag?

And like any good self-proclaimed world-famous chef would do, this recipe was very roughly based off something I shoplifted off the internet. However, it's Tony Chachere's that makes my recipe super easy, and super good:

Gumbo - Slow Cooker - Shrimp Crab Beans - Rusty's Working Recipe

1 pound bag Small Red Beans
1 pound bag Tony Chachere’s 71-90 frozen shrimp (Raw, cleaned, tailless. These were actually very good for frozen shrimp, and very inexpensive! I got mine at the Bougie Kroger.)
8 ounce tub Crab Claw Meat (whatever is cheapest..or whatever you prefer).
1 large Yellow Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
3 stalks Celery
1 small tablespoon Thyme (dried/powder)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 boxes Chicken Stock; Unsalted (Use salted stock if you want it to taste like restaurant food.)
1 14.5 ounce can Tomatoes; Diced; w/Jalapeno Peppers
1 7 ounce can Diced Green Chiles
1 cup Tony Chachere's Instant Roux powder (This stuff is actually pretty good!)

Gumbo Filé and Tabasco at Table

Soak red beans in water overnight.
Lube up the slow cooker with olive oil.
Set to HIGH - 6 hours.
Add chopped celery.
Add chopped onion.
Add chopped green bell pepper.
Rinse beans, add to slow cooker.
Add can of diced tomatoes.
Add can of chile peppers.
Add three tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
Add tablespoon of dry thyme powder.
Add two boxes chicken stock.
Cover.

Put bag-o-shrimp in fridge to thaw.

After 5.5 hours of total cooking time:
(Taste beans to make sure they are tender.)
Whisk 1 cup of instant roux powder into gumbo.
Season to taste with Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning. (This adds the salt.)
Rinse shrimp in strainer to thaw and add to gumbo.
Flake crab into gumbo. (Crab will contain shells...flake on plate with fingers if you’re worried about breaking a tooth. I think it’s gross to stick my dirty fingers into the crab, however.)
Turn off heat, and let sit for 20-30 minutes, until shrimp turns white.

Season as needed when served, with Gumbo Filé and Tabasco.
Serve with garlic French bread, crackers, or rice.

Funny voice message of the day...

2011-02-15T14:57:00.001-06:00

Google Voice's best guess: "Our This is offshore evening hey."

Poor guy just wants a job, I guess. Too bad all he can speak is,"uh, uh, uh...", or I could hire him to answer my phones.

2011-02-13T21:22:00.000-06:00

http://www.yelp.com/biz/don-carlos-restaurant-no-1-houston

http://www.doncarlosrestaurants.com/index.html

Friends took me to the Broadway location of Don Carlo's, many years ago. They were very much into "quantity" Tex-Mex blow-outs, where the entire table would be covered with plates of food and frozen Margaritas, no matter what Tex-Mex joint we visited. But this Broadway location was Don Carlos "#2"....which always drives me nuts...because then I want to find the #1.(Yeah, I know, I laugh as well when I say #2 during a review of a Tex-Mex joint.)

Then during on a restaurant finding expedition on the East side of Houston in my hooptie, I stumbled upon Don Carlos #1, amongst a treasure field of other Mexican eatin' joints. But unlike the other places in Magnolia Park, the weekday lunch hour had the place very crowded with working people from the Port of Houston...I assume. So I looked forward to come back with my cohort during a less crowded time.

We made it back last weekend...

The Yelp...

It's off the main drag, like many great spots, in Mag Park. But, they have a parking lot right next to the cop shop...which is reassuring for the suburbanites that are worried about their precious Lexus hubcaps when venturing into the more tasty 610 loop.

I think Don Carlos is one of the originators of what we know as "Tex-Mex", from back in the day, and their menu is the epitome of that. They've been around a while, for good reason. With that in mind, everyone we spoke to there...from the hostess to the server to the manager to the chips and salsa fella....ALL spoke English. The menu is equally Honky-accessible, so even Mike Huckabee supporters can order a delicious meal and feel really good about themselves. :D

My massive meal came with tortilla soup as a starter. It was outstanding...I mean...really freaking good. I mean, I don't want to discourage anyone from ordering a gigantic Don Carlos combo plate on their first trip here, but I could have had this soup alone and been a happy camper. The soup was loaded with VERY nice grilled chicken (that still tasted like it was freshly grilled), a big avocado slice, and other stuff. It was absolutely amazing. This tortilla soup was five star in my book, and I'll be back simply for that reason alone.

The main course....my goodness. I ordered the Carnes Guisada. It was very good. Nothing extraordinary, but very good, it's carne guisada...how could you not like it. Here's the thing with Don Carlos...they serve it up on massive platters that are better suited to serving up Thanksgiving turkeys!!! HUGE plates!!!! I forgot my lunchbox that day, so obviously I needed a to-go box, which gave me enough food for two more meals.

The margaritas "on the rocks" weren't good, and overpriced. They did like many Tex-Mex places do (take note Polo) and do what tastes like putting a spoon of disgusting Margarita Machine mix into a glass and stirring it up with tequila. Give me fresh lime juice and tequila, and I'll order three more. :D

I don't care for desserts that often, but I did like the few bites of Tres Leches my GF ordered. She liked it, and she doesn't normally like Tres Leches either.

You should come and eat here...and bring your lunch kit for the leftovers. These are the biggest portions! And who knows, if you make the trip to this Tex-Mex place, you might also find yourself a more authentic place to visit in the area at some time in the future. Mag Park has a lot to offer!

After lunch today....

2011-02-13T16:33:00.001-06:00

I-10 at Studemont...

02.12.11 Drug Deal in Eado

2011-02-12T12:05:00.002-06:00

This kid was acting really funny standing across the street, so I starting filming him, knowing he was waiting on a fix. A guy rides up on a bike, hands him a package, and leaves after a quick chat. The kid disappeared into the Kim Hung mall for a bit, then emerged 5-10 minutes later, and quickly headed back downtown on foot.

Monday's Lunch: Segaris Sam

2011-02-11T17:53:00.000-06:00

http://www.yelp.com/biz/segaris-sam-houston
http://www.segarisrestaurant.com/

I did not know Sam...

"Houston's Best Kept Secret" has to be the worst possible motto for your business. But if secrecy is their goal, it's working for the lunch time crowd. We were the only car in the parking lot, and not a single person showed up the entire time we were there. I guess it's more popular for a dinner spot, but the proprietor admitted they sometimes just close down early if no customers are coming in during the evening service. Honestly, I had no idea this place even existed, until my girlfriend took me there. Like most people, I've passed it 100 times on that busy stretch of Shepherd.

It's an intimate little place, with all of the tables set very nice and neat, and the proprietor stayed busying touching up things and keeping things in order. But the whole thing made me feel like I'd stumbled into a fancy dinner party that nobody was invited to. Despite the music playing, you could still hear the kitchen staff talking in the back, although I can't speak Spanish so I don't know what they were talking about. One of the kitchen staffers spent a good amount of time in the bathroom, which was conveniently located right behind our table. This is not a big place.

No prices on the menu is another part of the brilliant "Houston's Best Kept Secret" business strategy. I understand the concept of "if you need to know the prices, you can't afford us" to make people think you're the restaurant where the elite meet to eat, I'm a business person myself. But the prices here for lunch weren't really all that high. But no prices on the menu means I would NOT have taken my girlfriend, if she hadn't planned on paying the tab. Had I known the prices before hand, I would have had no problems offering to pay. But maybe that's the plan...to keep po' riff-raff like me out. ;)

And don't let the priceless menu scare you into taking out your best dinner tuxedo. You need combat boots to traverse the parking lot, and I couldn't imagine a woman tackling it in heels.

Oh yeah...I ate food here, too. It was okay, it was a big lunch, I was stuffed. I ordered a cup of gumbo, which was loaded with shrimp and tasted really good. It had some inedible bits in it like shrimp shells and possibly some okra stem fibers or something? But I guess that makes it more authentic...and maybe I shouldn't have been eating it so fast to make myself choke on the bits, but it did taste good.

My entrée was Laura's Sauteed Shrimp and Crabmeat, with a side of Rosemary New Potatoes. The simplicity of the dish sounded good...that's the way fresh seafood should be. It was okay. It was a plate of potatoes, with the sauteed shrimp and crab piled on top. Potatoes were fine, not overly seasoned. The 3 large shrimp included were unremarkable...just as easily could have been left out of the dish. The crab was plentiful, and it was good...it's crabmeat after all. It did seem a bit salty, however, and I found myself really thirsty for the next couple of hours.

Overall I had a nice, big meal. It wasn't too expensive, but for that much money I think there are better options for seafood...even in Houston. I thought my girlfriend's seafood dish was sauteed to the point of being seagull chow, but she has her own Yelp account. This place might be cool for a classy private birthday party, or something like that. The intimate dining room includes a nicely equipped little bar. It might be worth your time to check it out, if only just once.

Oh yeah...they have all their reviews framed and hanging on the wall. Right in the middle of that, there is a sign that says,"No Whining." Oops...sorry.

Egypt's Mubarak resigns, hands power to military

2011-02-11T17:46:00.001-06:00

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/national_world&id=7952794

Sunday at Pho Saigon

2011-01-30T13:41:00.001-06:00

Chicken and rice with egg roll.

Pho Saigon...the fastest food in Houston.

Turquoise Grill

2011-01-27T20:58:00.002-06:00

Just driving by today...I've been wanting to eat here for a long time for lunch...so I snapped a picture...

http://www.yelp.com/biz/turquoise-grill-houston

Cube Steak Boogie

2011-01-27T20:52:00.001-06:00

Cheap tenderized "miscellaneous" cube steak cooked in the toaster oven...15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit...flavored with ground cumin/ground coriander seed/Saigon cinnamon, generic butter-flavor instant mashed potatoes cooked in the microwave, generic beef gravy from a jar, and generic frozen mixed vegetables. Best steak dinner...ever.

Libertarian response to State of the Union and Republicans

2011-01-26T13:46:00.002-06:00

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, January 25, 2011

January 19, 2011 - The new Little Woodrows in Eado

2011-01-24T13:04:00.000-06:00

Hierarchy Films Studio Voicemail of the Day

2011-01-24T12:59:00.000-06:00

Transcript:

"I had Norman and some can houses. And also, and I was in the Sunday if you can. Celosias. If you can. 5. But, what if I'm gonna have some Kane. Thank you."

Did their luck just run out?

2011-01-21T09:31:00.000-06:00

I awoke this morning at 3:45am, to the sound of fire trucks. The sound of fire trucks are nothing new downtown, but these sounded close...and weren't going away. A quick look out the window, revealed a huge blaze down at Lucky's Pub here in Eado. I grabbed my jacket and my point-and-shoot, and headed for the other side of the building for a better view.

The Houston Fire Department had already extinguished the flames by the time I got the camera rolling at 3:51am. These are the Houston firefighters that Houston City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones says are lazy, spoiled with fancy amenities at their station like refrigerators, and is working with Mayor Anise Parker to cut their over-generous pension plans. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7385654.html

When the smoke cleared, apparently the fire was not in the main building of Lucky's Pub after all, but in the rats' nest of crap behind the bar, in the wooden shack and decking where the Lucky's frat parties spill out onto. No big loss. Maybe they'll finally clean all that crap up now...it's always been a mess and an eyesore in an a neighborhood that could use less of that. I wouldn't be surprised if it was caused by some homeless people camping out back there, and lighting a fire to keep warm. Eado is where Houston's hobos are concentrated, so they can be close to the various operations that cater to their needs.

Video of the fire being extinguished:

Some photos this morning after the Sun came up:

Xmas in New Orleans

2011-01-04T21:39:00.004-06:00

This year for Xmas, Tracey and I hopped on Amtrak's "Sunset Limited" route, for the stretch from downtown Houston to New Orleans. I just thought it would be interesting to try.

Travelling by Amtrak may not be the fastest way to get to your destination, but at least you won't get an anal probe from a 300 pound TSA agent with a 4th grade education, while another one runs their big dirty hands through your suitcase full of underwear. The TSA won't take nude pictures of you, and dose you with radiation, at the Amtrak station. You pretty much just show up, print your ticket from a stupid-simple automated machine, and just get on the train.

The food on the Amtrak might kinda suck, but it's still better than airplane food. You don't have to pay $20 a day to park your car at the Amtrak station, like at the airport...you just park in the ancient lot with the other 5-10 cars. Or, just take a short cab ride a few blocks from home, like we did. And when the Amtrak has technical problems, they just stop the train...it doesn't fall out of the sky.

So, the best way to sum up Amtrak is,"at least it's not flying." Thanks to the TSA, it appears that Amtrak's passenger business is picking up!

The French Quarter is still the same old French Quarter. A place of interesting old buildings, swindlers, drunks, and tourist trap restaurants. Tracey was nice enough to put us up in the Royal Sonesta...probably one of the nicest hotels in the French Quarter, with only minimal amounts of vomit ground into the floors of the rooms.

I had a great time! Here's the photos/video I shot with my little point-and-shoot camera:

Dogs Driving Cars

2011-01-03T16:21:00.000-06:00

My girlfriend has a knack for spotting dogs driving automobiles. She spotted this one driving an 18-wheeler in the Bougie Kroger parking lot:

Eado Melon Harvest

2011-01-02T15:24:00.000-06:00

Hobos in Eado will steal anything that isn't welded down. This hobo/"parking lot attendant" entered through an open parking lot gate, and went on a melon harvest in my neighbors' yard. A couple of hours later, he came back and was standing in the middle of the street, watching the home-owner (a car load of women) coming home and going into their house. Pretty creepy. Who knows...maybe he secretly planted the melons himself in their yard, to keep other hobos from stealing them? He's a regular in the neighborhood.

Aguachiles

2010-12-29T16:28:00.001-06:00

Last month I had aguachiles for the first time at Tampico Seafood Restaurant, and thought I'd try making it myself at home.

Unfortunately, shrimp at the grocery store is crap, so I opted for the frozen stuff from the Gulf of Mexico...versus the frozen and thawed stuff from Thailand they call "fresh shrimp" at the Bougie Kroger butcher's counter.

But even after thawing and deveining, the large Florida pink shrimp still seemed a little funky. I have a big job tomorrow, so food poisoning would be a VERY bad thing...but hunger got the best of me...I proceeded.

1/2 pound of the shrimps were deveined, cut in half, and laid flat on a plate. I added some chopped red onion and put the plate in the fridge to cool. I removed the seeds/ribs from half of a big jalapeño pepper, and chunked it in the blender with a tablespoon of kosher salt. Then I added the juice from about six small limes, and blended until the peppers were finely chopped.

When I was ready for lunch, I just poured the juice/pepper mixture over the shrimps. I let them sit a while to "cook", since I was still unsure of how safe these shrimps were to eat raw. In the meantime, I filled four corn tortillas with shredded cabbage and carrots ("cole slaw" bag salad from the store), fresh chopped cilantro, and shredded Mexican cheese. Just a little Valentina "red" sauce would optionally top off these shrimp tacos.

I was also happy to find Victoria beer now available at the Spec's Liqour Warehouse midtown here in Houston. I'd had this down in Tepoztlán, South of Mexico City, and thought it was pretty good. I think it goes well with Mexican seafood! For dessert there was a fresh Margarita made from 100% blue agave white tequila, French orange liquor, fresh squeezed lime juice, and a little sugar, over crushed ice. Hopefully the booze will kill anything dangerous in the half-cooked shrimp!

Overall, this was a pretty good dish. But, since there's no cooking...just a bit of preparation...I think it all depends on the quality of the shrimp you can get your hands on. I can't think of anything more refreshing to eat on a Summer day in the shade, with a cold Victoria or a fresh Margarita!

The shrimp/red onions before the juice/jalapeño/salt mixture:

After:

Ready to eat!

Tacos ready for some shrimp...

Shrimp tacos!

Do you ever feel like you're being watched?

2010-11-29T14:29:00.002-06:00

Voicemail of the Day

2010-11-15T13:06:00.000-06:00

I got a new phone number a while back, and now get some pretty funny voicemails...apparently due to the former owner of the number. Here's one I just received:

Has anyone seen my Buffett tapes?

2010-11-15T11:52:00.002-06:00

http://www.yelp.com/biz/tampico-houston http://www.tampicoseafood.net/

Red Snapper may be the specialty here, but I went to Tampico for one thing: the aguachiles. I'd been wanting to try Tampico for a long time, but had never even heard of aguachiles, until seeing Rick Bayless' TV show,"Mexico: One Plate At A Time" on PBS a few weeks ago. Behold, there they were on the menu at Tampico's website!

The aguachiles is served as an appetizer, but is sold by the pound or half-pound. Since I knew I'd probably be eating most of them alone, I opted for the half-pound...which is still a huge amount of shrimp! The aguachiles at Tampico are fresh raw shrimp that have been butterflied, with the tail still on them. They're laid out in a single layer on a platter, covered with a chile and lime juice purée to "cook" them, and garnished with onions and cilantro. This was my first and only time to eat aguachiles, and I thought it was awesome! I could easily see myself sitting on the balcony at Tampico on a Sunny day, eating aguachiles and drinking cold beers for a couple of hours. The shrimp just get better the longer they sit in the sauce.

Despite the half-pound of shrimp included with the appetizer, I had a Forrest Gump moment and also ordered a grilled shrimp platter as well. You can order the platter with 6 or 12 shrimps, your choice of sauces/topping, and fried rice or french fries with toast. You can get the sauce on the side...or covering your shrimp or fish. I opted for 6 shrimps covered in ranchera sauce, and french fries. It was excellent....loved the ranchera sauce. Even the freedom fries were crispy...instead of the usual mushy, fishy grease soaked fries you get at many seafood joints.

As for the location, it made me think of Cozumel. Laid back, fresh, clean, but tourist friendly...where just like in Cozumel, the waiters speak English. I just wish the Sun had been out when we went, so we could have sat outside on the 2nd floor patio.

They've got a large, fenced parking lot, complete with a guard tower. It was actually pretty dead here on Sunday at Noon, which I find is not uncommon inside the loop in Houston. Unlike in the 'burbs, where the masses flock to the Cracker Barrel after church. But that's good...because I actually hate crowds...and refuse to wait in line to eat a meal that we are paying for.

They appear to have a good selection of Tequila, and the prices on mixed drinks look very inexpensive. I stuck with the Budweiser, served with an ice cold mug and a lime at Tampico, to avoid piloting my hooptie into a telephone pole.

And for those giving bad reviews based on the "bad neighborhood"....keep in mind that this in the Heights for goodness sake...not exactly the scary barrio of your nightmares! You're more likely to get assaulted in a WalMart parking lot out in Katy. If you think this is a bad neighborhood, you're probably missing out on the majority of the great restaurants Houston has to offer. Real local flavor won't be found on Washington Avenue, and isn't expensive.

Go check out Tampico! I know I'll be back...just for the aguachiles and cold mugs of Bud!

Aguachiles...

Grilled shrimp (half-order) with ranchera sauce, fries, toast...

Bud...

You get what you pay for.

2010-10-28T23:30:00.000-05:00

People in my business are always trying to justify their prices by saying,"you get what you pay for."

Well, after getting yet another crappy steak dinner, this time at my birthday lunch at the Cava Bistro in downtown Houston, I once again decided I'd just have to make my own at home.

Cooking steaks in an apartment or loft under the broiler or on a hot cast iron skillet usually results in me nearly burning down the building or coating every surface with a layer of grease.

This time I fired up my trusty toaster oven, which I use WAY more often than the "big boy" oven.

My bacon wrapped beef tenderloin filet didn't come out with a sear on it, but it did come out perfectly medium rare, and about 1000x better than any steaks I remember eating recently in a restaurant.

I went old school with side items, and not only was it one of the best steak dinners I've ever had, but it took 20 minutes and cost me about $5. Getting a meal that FINALLY makes you happy: priceless.

East Downtown Homeless Troubles

2010-10-19T17:08:00.002-05:00

Antojitos Salvadorenos

2010-09-18T22:44:00.006-05:00

http://www.yelp.com/biz/antojitos-salvadorenos-houston-2

I've been wanting to try this place for a while, after passing it on my numerous trips to the Eastwood Post Office. (You know...the USPS...the people that deliver little orange slips...not packages.)

I'm glad we finally stopped in today, as I can honestly say, it's the best Salvadoran restaurant I've ever been to!

I guess my dish wasn't all that Salvadoran, but it WAS really great. It was the mixed platter of grilled shrimp, chicken, and beef. It came out on a seriously sizzling platter, you know the kind (see my pics), and we didn't have to wait long. It included two huge head-on grilled shrimp, which were not overly spicy, just right in my opinion. Growing up in a Gulf Coast shrimping town, I was never a huge fan of the big shrimp...which are often lacking in flavor and can be mushy. But they fit well on a plate of grilled meats. I loved that the chicken and beef were cut up into smaller pieces than the average Tex-Mex place...as it makes them all flavor! This sizzling plate was great, and included grilled onions and peppers.

It came with a plate of fresh salad, refried beans, rice, and a couple of thick Salvadoran style tortillas, which are awesome. The whole dish was only $8.95...and it was probably one of the more expensive things on the menu!!

Our waitress was great...albeit I don't think she spoke a whole lot of English...which you get used to eating out in Eastwood. I can't really speak Spanish...but I can point! In addition to some chips and salsa, she brought out extra condiments to go with my GF's pupusas. There's also Tabasco and Valentina sauce on the table...+1 in my book for a restaurant.

The restaurant was super clean, and organized. Service was prompt and the food came fast. Dinner for two with iced tea came out to just over $21...which is about what you'd pay for a fajita platter alone at one of the big chain Tex-Mex joints. I'll definitely be back to try some more items off the menu! Check'em out!

Laundry night.

2010-09-16T18:22:00.001-05:00

Eado...the next big thing in Houston?

2010-09-10T13:16:00.002-05:00

Here's a hobo pissing on a dumpster in the parking lot of Lucky's Pub in Eado:

Here's a look around the neighborhood...four panoramic pictures I took from the roof with my point-n-shoot camera:

Taste Like Chicken

2010-09-02T11:57:00.001-05:00

The Hierarchy Films Studio complete with state of the art security system:

Chiles Rellenos

2010-08-08T22:02:00.004-05:00

I generously lubed my crock pot with not-so-virgin olive oil. (That's as fun as it sounds.)
I smeared a ton of crushed garlic around in the bottom with the oil.
I put a pound of "miscellaneous meat for stew" (I LOVE that meat for the slow cooker...it's often REALLY nice cuts of beef) on top of that and loosened up the pieces.
I dusted liberally with dried ground chipotle pepper, ground cumin, and dried diced jalapeno peppers.
Threw on a can of diced green chiles.
Chopped up nearly a whole onion and threw it on top.
Cooked it for four hours on the "high" setting.

Meanwhile...a few beers into the cooking...

I started a boil of some leftover beef stock and a little water.
Threw in four ancho chiles (dried poblanos). I put a steam basket on top to keep them submerged, and turned off the heat. I left it there, covered, for about 30 minutes...which made them too soft and they came apart too easily when trying to stuff them. No problem. It's just food. They smelled awesome...it smelled like I was brewing some kind of amazing tea.

I drained a can of petite diced tomatoes and another can of diced green chiles...seasoned all with kosher salt/fresh ground pepper.

For the side dish: I lined a couple of ramekins with olive oil, and filled them about halfway...just around the WALLS with generic canned refried beans...leaving a well in the center. I filled the well with layers of: diced green chiles, shredded "quesadilla cheese", diced tomatoes, more cheese, and more chiles...or something like that.

Despite all the spices, my meat stuffing came out a little bland, so I added a little kosher salt, pepper, and a some Valentina sauce. I could eat a dirty old shoe with Valentina sauce on it.

I tried "gutting" the Anchos...didn't do a great job...but a few seeds never killed anyone. I stuffed them with the meat mix, and carefully put them on the NS foil lined baking sheet along with the ramekins-o-refritos.

I topped the chiles with some more diced tomatoes and green chiles. Then cooked at 400 degrees for 25 minutes...until the tips of the tomatoes were starting to char.

I plated the grub by turning a ramekin upside down...and praying for the contents to come out in one piece. After a few drinks of Bud, it happened. Added a stuffed chile to the plate, and put a little "quesadilla cheese" (whatever that is...it was Kroger generic bagged/shredded stuff) on top of the chile and the bean-stack...which looked like canned cat food. I added a splat of Valentina to the plate, because it's what makes most of my Mexican food edible. Valentina is the reason I eat taco. Well, not the only reason.

Third wok's a charm...

2010-08-02T23:54:00.003-05:00

Old school frozen vegetables, salmon, and jasmine rice....all cooked in my wok!

Another Friday at Cafe Shoppe

2010-07-23T13:34:00.001-05:00

It takes a rare aligning of the planets when I have both a weekday off, AND a little change in my pocket. Today was one of those days...but instead of hopping in my hooptie and going out for some serious eats, I walked back across the street to Cafe Shoppe. I went there last week for their grand opening, and was excited that I now have "fast food"...that actually doesn't suck...within walking distance.

It looks like they're really getting things together there...the steam table was full of "entrees" and barbecued meats. But today I wanted another sandwich...and they didn't disappoint.

I ordered a "Grilled Lemon Grass Beef" sandwich. The beef was REALLY nice! Of course, like every Vietnamese style sandwich I've ever had, anywhere, it still had the apparently obligatory chewy piece of meat in it. But like usual, I deal with it and move on. The beef had such an amazing flavor, I didn't put any additional Sriracha or hoisin sauce on it, like I normally do with Banh Mi.

The spring rolls were good. They were rolled big with lots of noodles and vegetables inside, with shrimp and Vietnamese pork roll slices.

The "soup of the day" was again Wonton Soup...and this time they served it up in a large container...but still filled with lots of large wontons.

This was all enough food to easily feed two people for lunch...for only $9.22! Since I don't get out on weekdays for lunch very often, I don't mind going a little overboard. Not to mention, I now have soup and a spring roll for a snack later. Check this place out if you find yourself over in Eado around lunch!

All for $9.22:

Lemon Grass Beef Sandwich:

Spring Rolls and Sauces:

Another suicide in Downtown Houston

2010-07-17T14:35:00.005-05:00

I tell ya, my pictures must be a bad omen. I took this picture on December 15, 2009, while out riding my bike.

Yesterday, Chron.com reports a dude tried to drive his car off the garage, failed, so he jumped over the edge to his death instead..

Back in May, I shot this picture while out riding my bike:

Four days later, it burned to the ground!

On September 27, 2005, I took these pictures of the Houston House where I lived:

Then on June 27, 2007, a dude rammed his car THROUGH the cinder block wall of the parking garage, and landed upside down on the roof of another building. He was dead.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/13486487/detail.html

I took these pictures after they patched the hole up in the wall of the garage:

"Cafe Shoppe" at the Kim Hung Mall in Eado

2010-07-16T14:38:00.002-05:00

The one thing I miss since leaving downtown, is being able to step out of your home or office and having a vast selection of lunch options. Over here in Eado, we've got a few of the city's absolute best restaurants...but they're scattered around the otherwise barren landscape and limited in the number of options.

That's why I was so happy to read Katharine Shilcutt's news in the Houston Press yesterday, telling us about the grand opening of a new sandwich shop in the former Hoang Son shop at the Kim Hung Mall on St. Emanuel, about two blocks directly behind the George R. Brown. Seeing as how I live and work essentially across the street, I was happy to hear we'd once again have a bánh mì option so close! I'm also happy that the nice owner of the Kim Hung mall is doing things to revitalize not only his supermarket, but it's bringing new tenants like Cafe Shoppe to our struggling neighborhood.

So I went in for the grand opening today, with my mind set on char-grilled banh mi, springs rolls, and whatever else interesting I could find on the menu.

Well, I got there before Noon, so they still seemed to be scrambling to get things going. The "entrees" looked pretty limited at the time, and nothing really jumped out at me, so I passed. As for the chargrilled pork sandwich and spring rolls, they said they would be a bit of a wait if I ordered that. If you've been in the Kim Hung Market during the summer in the past couple of years, you know you don't want to hang around long...the air conditioning is lacking to say the least. No doubt due to the industrious copper pirates that work the area. So I opted for the BBQ pork sandwich, an egg roll, and the "soup of the day."

The wait wasn't too long, especially considering it was in the first hour of their official grand opening. There was a steady stream of customers coming in, but no waiting line. All of the staff were super friendly, and like a lot of small cafes around here, it seemed to be very much a family operation. I really like to eat at places like this!

I double-timed it back home, anxious to tear open my new presents. Like any Yelper I suppose, the hardest part is taking time to snap a few pictures, when you really just want to dive into your exciting new eats!

The banh mi was great. It was loaded pretty well with BBQ pork, which was not too dry, and not too fatty. (Every banh mi I've ever had has probably had at least one bit of fat in it, that pushed my limits as to whether I'd eat it or not. There were no "leftover bits" from this one, however.) It wasn't as big as a super-stuffed large sandwich from Kim Tai's, for example, but it was only $3...which to me is spot on for a medium sized banh mi.

The egg roll was good. I'm not a huge fan of greasy fried egg rolls...not since I discovered spring rolls. But, at 85 cents, this one went well with a medium sized sandwich. The filling was nice.

The "soup of the day" turned out to be wonton soup. I didn't ask when I ordered...sometimes I just like to be surprised. I was in fact surprised, at first, that it was $2.75 for a small Styrofoam cup of it. But when I got home and poured it into a real bowl, it turns out that it was actually packed full of wontons! NOT like the usual stuff you get at a Chinese takeaway joint, where they give you a huge plastic bucket of chicken broth with one lonely wonton swimming in it. This side order of soup could have easily been a meal by itself...there were like 10 or so wontons in it, and broth just enough to fill up the container. They were very good.

They had huge selection of fresh fruit smoothies, and teas, but I figure I'll save that for another trip.

Keep in mind, this is essentially a shopping mall "food court" type setting, and what I'm basing my rating/review on. The food was good, the prices were awesome for a lunch spot, and the folks running the place were super friendly. With sandwich shops like this available to us in Houston, it's hard to believe anyone would subject themselves to a Subway. I'm sure they'll have a few growing pains over the next few days, but come over here to Eado and check them out soon!

Mini and Indira

2010-07-15T21:13:00.000-05:00

I just thought this was funny.

Beef Sirloin Keema

2010-07-15T00:49:00.006-05:00

Comfort food is all the rage these days. Sliders, mac-n-cheese, sweet tea+booze, haute dogs, kobe beef burgers, shrimp-n-grits, catfish-n-waffles, etc, you name it. Leave it to a trendy restaurant to capitalize on a bunch of 20-somethings with disposable income, and charge you $15 for a plate of food that most of us only ate at home when we were broke.

I like comfort foods as next as the next guy...but I'm a big boy now...not to mention I have to work for every penny I have and can't afford a $10 hamburger the size of a quarter. But alas, after 38 years of deprivation, I discovered Indian inspired British pub food. I should have known all along...a country with a long history of world domination and heavy beer drinking, would have found the ultimate comfort food many, many years ago.

We've stopped in the Red Lion pub a couple of times for a cold brew before going on our weekend shopping trips to the bougie Kroger in River Oaks. But on our last trip, we came to EAT. They have a pretty good selection of British pub dishes, and Tracey ordered the Thai Fish Soup, but I was drawn to the Lamb Keema. Ground beef and rice? What's not to like?? Both of our dishes came out in HUGE portions. Tracey's said her fish soup was bland, but good. My lamb keema wasn't a culinary masterpiece, but it WAS the ultimate comfort food. I mean...ground meat over rice is a no-brainer, but the blend of the spices and the sweetness from the peas on top (which I thought was odd at first glance) put the dish over the top. After that huge serving of food and a pint or two of Guinness, I wasn't sure I'd fit back into my car...but it was worth it. I was going to need to eat this dish again...

So I set about looking for a recipe, and found here it at Cooks.com: Indian Keema The bougie Kroger didn't have ground lamb out on display, and I was a little leery about buying it there. So instead, I opted for a pound+ of ground sirloin beef. Wikipedia says Keema just means ground meat anyways.

It cost me a bit of money, since I didn't have all the spices required in the recipe. But after I cooked it up tonight, I'll definitely be making it again...and get my use out of those bottles of Turmeric, Curry Powder, ground dried Ginger, and ground Coriander seed I had to purchase.

I didn't have any Naan, so in true Texas style I served up my Keema with corn tortillas. After all, Naan is just for making tacos, isn't it? I also gave my Keema a boost by serving it with jasmine rice that I cooked in beef stock.

All I can say is that it came out GREAT....real great. Of course, whenever you make something yourself, it always tastes better. Who cares what anyone else thinks? I ate half the pot in one sitting...which sounds like a lot...but it was about the same as the huge serving they served me at the Red Lion pub.

Here's my pictures from the Red Lion, followed by pictures of what I made at home:

Red Lion's Lamb Keema:

And here's what I made tonight:

So if you're in need of some comfort food, and can't afford to buy a plate of macaroni and cheese from a trendy Washington Ave. joint that costs more than the shirt you have on, then do yourself a favor. Put a 12-pack of Bud on ice, and cook up a pot of Keema at home!

More domestic troubles in Eado

2010-07-13T18:03:00.003-05:00

July 12, 2010. Eado, Houston, Texas. A tenant's ex-husband comes to visit his ex-wife; gets in a fight with the current boyfriend, and tries to pick a fight with the Faith Poison stealth reporter. He returned to the building for a second round, and got arrested by the police, possibly for DWI and other charges. A neighboring Eado community activist also reports that the female involved was also arrested and taken away. She and the boyfriend admitted to the police that they were ALL intoxicated and that the ex-husband had destroyed property belonging to them and the property owner. Residents should be on the lookout for this ex-husband, as he is not a resident, and apparently has access codes to enter the building! The boyfriend/girlfriend have a history of domestic problems and drug use, and have caused damage to the shared areas of the property. I have a feeling more video reports will follow tonight. Stay tuned.

The Worst Taqueria In Houston!

2010-07-08T15:59:00.003-05:00

After a late night of pointlessly re-arranging the furniture in my loft, I woke up early in need of some breakfast tacos.

About the only thing left in the fridge was a few bags of saltines and four cans of assorted nuts, so a trip to the bougie Kroger (see Linh N.'s review) was in order, to pick up some bending supplies.

Here's where it all went to hell. Normally I love making tacos...all kinds of tacos...and I think they all taste wonderful. I like eating tacos. Who doesn't?

But today, I went for the trifecta...I bought some cheap stuff...I bought some healthy stuff...and I bought some pre-cooked/no-mess stuff.

Kroger generic breakfast sausage "chub". Wow, this crap was disgusting...tasted like finely ground pig snoots and was otherwise almost entirely fat that had to be drained off.

Kroger pre-cooked bacon strips. "Hey, I won't cover the entire kitchen with grease spatter!" What a waste of money...they have no taste.

Kroger brand "Break-Free Real Egg Product"...this stuff isn't too bad on breakfast sandwiches and stuff...at least it's healthy. But now I associate it with that nasty sausage chub...so I get sick thinking about it.

Kroger shredded mild cheddar cheese. Cheese is good.

La Banderita yellow corn tortillas...one of my favorite brands.

Goya Salsa Taquera. Normally I only eat Valentina taco sauce, but this stuff looked good. It tasted really different...I think it might grow on me...or not. Either way, I was dripping with sweat after my tacos.

I pulled my first fiery hot breakfast taco out of the toaster oven, and was ready to make my first bend. But wouldn't you know it...the building handy man "Artemio" was knocking on my door. He must have smelled my tacos cooking from miles away! So my tacos sat there...getting cold...while Artemio checked out all the ceiling and wall leaks in my loft...and gave me the usual excuses. "I fix it next week." Sure, whatever, leave so I can eat my tacos. I'm not giving you one.

I sat down with a glass of Kroger brand orange juice. That stuff is good, and only $2.99 a gallon right now.

My tacos, however, were crap. That sausage, despite being WELL cooked, was still so greasy it coated my mouth with a film of fat. The bacon didn't bring anything to the party. The scrambled "real egg product" was simply not the right choice this morning...I wasn't concerned about my health when I bought the sausage...I should have treated myself to some real eggs.

But, considering my 6:30am breakfast dilemma had now turned into an 11:00am "brunch", I ate them all. Almost all. And my stomach didn't sit well for a couple of hours.

I'll probably make them again tomorrow.

I blame Mini The Cat:

Thinking outside of the loop: this week in Tex-Mex.

2010-07-06T13:44:00.000-05:00

We ventured outside of the loop again today to do some shopping at Meyerland. Weak with hunger and indecision, I figured we'd just find someplace interesting at the shopping center to eat. There wasn't...so we just stopped the car at Escalante's...Tex-Mex starts to sound like a good idea when you're starving...and the brutal heat had my mind set on a margarita. The sign out front assured us this was "fine" Tex-Mex.

For me, Tex-Mex dishes pretty much all taste the same...whatever the name of the dish...and whatever restaurant you go to. Nothing wrong with that...it's just beef, chicken, tortillas, beans, rice, piled on a plate and covered with cheese. That's not a bad thing. They did, however, charge a little more for it here. But I guess that's why it is "fine" Tex-Mex.

I got the lunch special #3...a crispy taco and a chicken flauta would sure hit the spot for lunch. Both items were fine...as in "okay"...not as in "$11 for a taco and flauta lunch" fine. (I don't take off stars for the high prices...everyone has the option to leave a restaurant before ordering if they don't like the prices.)

It came with a cheesy poof, refried beans, and rice. The cheesy poof...well it was a cheesy poof....a poofed up chip with a thin layer of cheese on it. (I've never really understood these as a side item...but whatever...I always eat it.) The rice and beans were pretty void of any flavor. The beans were "fat free"...which I think is hilarious being served up in a Tex-Mex restaurant. We're not there looking for health food...put some fat in my beans...or at least some flavor! I pretty much covered my entire plate with the mediocre red salsa that came with the lackluster chips. I suggest asking for a big bowl of it when you order, instead of just the shot-glass sized bowl they bring you when you arrive.

The taco did come plated with a stainless steel taco stand. This IS "fine" Tex-Mex after all. I would have been happy with the "village idiot" solution on the Old El Paso commercial, who drives two nails into the dining table to keep his tacos from falling over. Of course, his son was heralded by the villagers as a prodigy for inventing the flat-bottomed taco shell. I guess this superior Mexican technology hasn't filtered into the cookie cutter Tex-Mex joints around Houston yet.

I don't buy expensive margaritas...I want the cheapest margarita on the rocks a restaurant can make...anything more is wasted on my palate. They had a $17 margarita on the menu, but I asked the waiter if they could make me a cheap/well marg with some house tequila, and they did. He asked if I'd like the "large" 10 ounce...of course I did. Turns out it was a 10 ounce glass of ice...with about 3 ounces of margarita. $6.50 has lasted me WAY longer on a Las Vegas slot machine. So after I sucked down the margarita, I ordered a $4 Budweiser longneck. A few quick sips and my liquor bill had exceeded the price of my taco and flauta plate.

Service was good. There was a battalion of iced tea refillers quickly making their rounds.

Overall my lunch was fine, but way more than I like to pay for plain old Tex-Mex in a Mexi-Kitsch style restaurant that might as well of been a Loc Cucos, Gringo's, Ninfa's (the chain locations...which aren't associated with the original Ninfa's on Navigation owned by Legacy Restaurants...the people that also own the Antone's Po-Boy shops), or any other shopping center Tex-Mex chain. Fortunately, my wonderful girlfriend picked up the tab. :)

If you're planning a trip here, my best advice would be to ask them if they have a specialty that sets them apart...a dish that makes them a "fine" Tex-Mex joint...and not just another run of the mill place that knows how to melt cheese over a tortilla.

Bonnie's Beef and Seafood...that place you've seen 5,439.8 times and never ate at...

2010-07-03T23:53:00.001-05:00

Like Tracey says, it's like a 25 year trip back in a time machine stepping into this place...but after a late lunch I can see why they're still going after so long.

Anyone that commutes on I-45 has probably wondered about Bonnie's. But ironically, despite having one of the most visible locations in Houston, it is also one of the worst locations as far as accessibility...as you'll probably NEVER find yourself actually driving down that stretch of service road...due to its proximity to loop 610. The planets aligned on Thursday...a funeral...massive flooding...an automobile accident and a traffic jam..."let's go to Bonnie's"...FINALLY!

My best guess is that Bonnie's has a regular customer base of older folks and "business" lunches/dinners from men working around Pasadena. Seeing that there was only ONE review for the place, probably confirms this, but it also means it's not going to be a trendy Washington ave type place where you go to be seen....you go here for good food and spectacular service.

The interior decor is 1980's hotel restaurant style...but still very clean and well kept up since those early days. There was a well worn butt-print in the vinyl in out booth that I kind of sunk into. The board in the back of the seat had my bottom numb after a while...and we were there for a while...because of the good food and service.

But don't let the vintage 1980's style turn you off...it's actually kinda cool and fun...and 100% authentic...right down to the soup/salad bar and the Genesis playing in the background! They even have one of those,"proper attire required" signs next to the front door...which in 2010 I guess just means that you should at least where shoes.
And in true old skool style, they brought a little loaf of bread and a dish of whipped butter to go with your included soup/salad bar trip. And you know what...it was great! I don't eat from salad bars or buffets...they disgust me. But soup sounded great, so I went to the self serve soup pots (again...not a fan at all of people serving themselves) and grabbed a bowl of the black bean and sausage soup. It was very good. And the little loaf of bread...was perfect. No gimmicks. Just a fresh little loaf of whitebread...like me.

They had three "specials" for the day...one beef...one chicken....one fish. Tracey got the beef...I got the fish. Mine was a big red snapper filet, with a nice/wangy sauce that had a lot of fresh and wonderful crawfish tails in it. It had potatoes and vegetables on the side. The well-seasoned potatoes were awesome and vegetables included broccoli, carrots, green beans, etc...which were so good that I actually ate all of them! The whole entree was excellent!!

We split a dessert and had a cappuccino, which was great.

Our waiter was a highlight of the visit...Robert...an absolutely 5-star professional. I'm sure that service like his is why Bonnie's has been around for 25 years.

Tracey's steak looked amazing...I sampled one of the fried purple onions from the top of it, and almost regretted not ordering one myself. Her side items didn't look anything near as wonderful as mine, however.

You can go someplace "cool" on Washington or in Midtown...or you can get great food and service...and make a point to go to Bonnie's. At the very least, if you're punishing yourself by eating at suburban chain restaurants for steak and seafood...its literally your first step inside the loop to experiencing something much better! For real "American" steak and fresh seafood, give them a shot!

Sunday at Kim Tai's

2010-06-28T12:33:00.000-05:00

I like Vietnamese beef stew. If you've never had it, let me tell you it's not like my Mom used to make. The times I've had it, it's been pretty greasy, and the meat has a ton of fat and funky bits on it...but it tastes amazing. (I usually scrape most of the fatty bits off.) Aside from the great tasting, slow simmered beef in a wonderful broth, it's usually pretty simple...like onions and carrots. I like mine served with a baguette, and the ones Kim Tai's serves are really nice...warmed up perfectly like they're right out of the oven! I forget, but I think it's only like $6.95 for this meal. Cafe Thiem Hung also serves great beef stew on Wednesdays for even less.

Beef stew at Kim Tai's...

Daily Review Café

2010-06-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

I think it's kinda funny to read the complaints about FREE valet parking inside the loop. If you can't afford a few bucks to tip a valet, you probably shouldn't be eating out at a decent cafe. There's no valets at McDonald's. ;) The only time I have a problem with valet, is when the joint HAS a parking lot, but forces you to pay a valet to drive your car three feet into a spot. DRC is not in a Katy strip mall...use the valet...that's why it is FREE!!

This place filled up quick during lunch when we went on a Friday. We got one of the few remaining tables...right next to the hostess desk/front door. This sucked, since it was like 154.8 degrees outside, and every time someone walked in it was like being blasted with a hair dryer. Then people were hanging around the door waiting for tables. Not the DRC's fault. It was just too hot for people to sit outside.

I got the Southern Fried Chicken. The sides were good. The chicken was cooked to a point where the crust tasted a little like the frying oil was burned/old, and the chicken was hard to cut all the way through with the steak knife. Not bad, but I'd have been just as happy with something from Grandy's.

Our sever was excellent, IMHO. I think his name was Cameron (sp?). Really nice guy, as well as all of the other staff that helped us.

It would be cool to come back here when the weather is perfect for sitting on the patio! I'm down with trying something else on the menu, just for that reason. But otherwise, there's too many other restaurants to try in Houston.

Houston's Best Restaurant

2010-06-24T21:52:00.000-05:00

Houston's best foodie date night...unquestionably...Thiem Hung's "After Dark" on Thursday and Friday evening between 6-9pm, when they bring out the white tablecloths and candles, and the fun and friendly young owner brings out his special of the week. Plus, it's BYOB, so you can bring a bottle of your favorite wine (or in my case...whichever is on sale and has the coolest label on the shelf) or beer.

Often, Minh will offer a sort of "prix fixe" as the special, which you absolutely do NOT want to pass up. This is THE reason to be there in the evening on Thursdays and Fridays. Every week he seems to come up with something even more over the top than the week before, and this week was no exception. In fact, he may have seriously outdone himself...I think he's gone totally mad. Here's what this week's special consisted of:

1st Course: Bánh cuốn - four of them actually for each diner - including the pork roll slices and fish sauce. If you've never had this Vietnamese dish, you are really missing out. You'll be an instant fan!
2nd Course (as if you needed one at this pint) - Chicken leg quarter, with garlic rice or mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Thiem Hung does chicken like no place else...but tonight it was just downright crazy. Minh is sparing no amount of effort to impress his customers, and it shows in what he has done with a simple chicken dish. As for the rice and mashed potatoes...I hope you like huge cloves of buttery soft roasted garlic. This stuff is amazing!
3rd Course: Flan with berries. I've never been a huge fan of flan...I think I've ate it only once or twice. But like everything at Thiem Hung, the flan did not disappoint. My stomach's capacity did, however, and I had to throw in the towel after a couple of bites. Tracey was more than happy to pack it up and take it home. I doubt it will see the light of the morning.

We both ordered the rice with our dishes, but he also brought us out a "small" sample of his mashed potatoes...knowing we'd love them...and of course we did. Wow.

On a side note, don't bring a lot of money. A meal like this is hard to put a price on, but amazingly it's priced at quite a steal. Throw in your own bottle of wine, candlelight, great music, and great company, and you'll be hard pressed to find a better evening on a Thursday or Friday night in Houston. Make it a date!

1st course, Banh Cuon:

2nd course, chicken and rice with asparagus:

3rd course, flan with berries:

Optional side, a small sample of the mashed potatoes:

At the Kim Hung Mall...

2010-06-24T12:31:00.001-05:00

Looks like someone at the Kim Hung Mall got a great deal on a new work truck!

Copper is a scarce commodity in Eado...despite all the cages, refridgeration/AC equipment is plundered throughout the area.

At the Buffalo Wild Wings on Weslayan, this person is not only "alive with pleasure", they're also full of "SAUCE APPEAL"...

Here's the parking garage entrance to Weslayan BW3...kinda cool...no risk in falling down the stairs when walking back to your car after a couple of beers!

Am I the only one that sees the irony in this sign?

Eating outside of the loop...

2010-06-19T22:10:00.002-05:00

Tracey had a craving for some crab legs, so we headed out to Joe's Crab Shack. I haven't been to one since moving into Houston from the 'burbs several years ago, back when the usual restaurant rotation included Joe's for seafood, Los Cucos for Mexican, and Willie's for burgers. How exciting.

But I was excited to go to Joe's today. I mean, food from these places is usually pretty predictable...with huge suburbanite-friendly portion sizes, and no surprises on the prices.

I got the Bayou's Best Platter, which for $16.99 included no less than blackened Tilapia with crawfish etouffee sauce on a bed of rice, butterflied fried shrimp, hush puppies, a piece of french bread, and BBQ shrimp with sausage and potatoes with lemon wedges...all on one platter. Oh yeah...and a sweet rasberry iced tea.

Tracey ordered a metal washtub filled with three kinds of boiled crab with an ear of corn and potatoes.

Everything tasted as expected...pretty decent actually...with the exception of being pretty darned salty in my opinion. I tasted pieces of Tracey's crab, and the King crab leg seemed very salty...even without being dipped in the butter sauce. My shrimps were pretty tiny, but I guess at least they weren't covered with British Petroleum.

Later that afternoon, I started feeling a little odd, like I'd been nailed with an overly hefty dose of sodium/MSG or something. And I'm not really sensitive to MSG/salt...I put it in my own food at home all the time. Tracey started feeling a lot worse than I did...she'd ate a lot of that seasoned crab and butter sauce, and by the evening looked like she had a fever and had to go to bed early. I don't know if it was our food...but all that salt makes me wonder...

Thiem Hung After Dark

2010-06-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

So, we haven't been to Thiem Hung's in the past couple of weeks for his Thursday/Friday evening specials. Too tired, too sick, too busy...sometimes the planets just don't align right, but I diligently check his Facebook page to see what the evening special will be. Today I saw it would be a chicken curry + surprise for dessert...I forwarded the info to Tracey...I knew she'd be excited like I was. At 5:55pm, we grabbed a bottle of wine, and headed down the street for the 6:00pm evening dinner service at the Eado location.

The chicken curry was phenomenal. Tracey ordered hers with rice. I ordered mine with a baguette, since I LOVE the Banh Mi they make there, any my curry came served with both white and wheat! Awesome! I've had Indian curries that were good. I've had Thai curries that were even better. I've had home cooked Vietnamese curries that were awesome. But this chicken curry at Thiem Hung's was my favorite so far. I told owner/operator Minh Nguyen that it would suit me fine if he could just fill up a canteen of that curry broth for me to carry around all day, and I'd be a happy camper. That shit was good. In addition to the perfectly cooked potatoes and carrots, it was LOADED with this tender and flavorful bone-in chicken. I was damed tempted to take the leftover bones home so that I could just sit and chew on them while watching TV until 2:00am. Then dessert came...

Dessert. (It was included with the dinner, seriously, what the f*ck are you doing eating fast food or chain restaurant crap for this price?) It was chocolate fondue and fresh fruit. Yeah. Check out my pictures...he's got these little individual fondue warming pots! Sorry for the blurry pictures, but I wasn't about to bust out my little tripod for these...I wanted to eat it. The fruit was absolutely beautiful and tasty, and the fondue had some dark chocolate in it, which I love. The chocolate + apple...killer.

We brought a bottle of Layer Cake malbec , which turned out to be perfect. I'm more of a wino than a wine expert, but I can say that it was outstanding with our meal...and even better with the chocolate fondue and fruit. You can bring your own wine and beer to Thiem Hung's...I hope he doesn't mind me showing up for lunch with a 6-pack of Budweiser tallboys to have with my Banh Mi!

Houston is a foodie's paradise, and among all my "favorites" in town, Thiem Hung not only tops the list overall but ironically for a lunchtime cafe it is also the coolest romantic "date night" destination on Thursdays and Fridays from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Grab a bottle of anything, wear what you have on, and go to Thiem Hung's. You'll eat good, have a great time, and Minh is like an old friend!

Chicken curry with potatoes and carrots:

MY bread...MINE all mine!!

Fruit and chocolate fondue (if the photos are blurry, you drank too much wine):

Sunday at Kim Tai's

2010-06-06T21:58:00.000-05:00

Another great Sunday lunch at Kim Tai's diner. Tracey had our favorite standby...the vermicelli with chargrilled pork and eggrolls (bun thit nuong), and I got a Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi) with chargrilled pork and fried egg, as well as an order of spring rolls and peanut sauce as an appetizer.

What a great lunch! The chili pepper at the end of my sandwich was so hot that I thought my throat was going to close up...and it was worth every bit of the pain!

Spring Rolls

Peanut Sauce for Spring Rolls

Banh Mi with Chargrilled Pork and Fried Egg

2010-06-06T00:44:00.001-05:00

I thought Cafe Ginger was awesome!

"Chinese" restaurants haven't always been at the top of my list when it comes to finding interesting places to eat since working and living downtown for the past 10+ years. I grew up in a working class town, and like most areas outside the loop, so typical "Chinese" joints are often about as exciting as a trip to a Bennigan's or pizza delivery. Except "Chinese" places in the 'burbs usually have a mastery of kitschy decor, rivaled only by that of "Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag" (or any other 1980's restaurant chain...I went to the Baybrook "Spoons" on my HS PROM date for goodness sake).

But Cafe Ginger has gone over the top...without being kitschy...in my humble opinion. I thought the decor was awesome. I had second thoughts about coming, after the former restaurant left the property and a Chinese restaurant serving $9 dinners had occupied the space. I thought it would be mediocre at best. Boy, was I wrong. It's absolutely beautiful inside.

Service was top notch...as good as I've had anywhere...at any price. My hearing is bad, but I think it was "Kevin" taking care of us? He was awesome...super nice and helpful.

I liked their menu model...they had the standard Chinese joint items...at a super low price considering the atmosphere/service (36 items on the lunch menu). BUT, they still had a great selection of great fish dishes and sushi at a higher price, so they had something for everyone! Tracey got the Chilean Sea Bass, which I thought tasted great!

But I'm kind of a redneck. I judge pizza joints on their slice of pepperoni. I judge a diner on their cheeseburger with nothing more than lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. I judge an Italian place on a plate of lasagna. And on the rare trip to a Chinese place....I go for the Mongolian Beef. At any of these places, I reserve the rest of the menu for future visits...if any. Houston is a place for eaters...zillions of places to try....second visits are only for the best.

The egg drop soup. Good. The fried rice, green beans, egg roll, all good, who cares. The beef: Beef is why people travel 1000's of miles to eat at places like Smitty's in Lockhart, Texas. But Mongolian Beef...even when medicocre...is still better than the best BBQ joints in Texas. At Cafe Ginger, the beef was anything but mediocre. It was perfect. Amazingly tender, and mouthwatering.

After 2 bites, I took my knife and divided my plate into two halves...I wanted to double my pleasure...I was going to have this meal again tonight...it was that good. And now I sit here tonight...writing this review...knowing the other half of my Cafe Ginger meal is sitting just a few feet away in the fridge...as I've been trying to convince myself for the past few hours that I'm hungry again so that I can eat it. I can't wait much longer...it's going in the toaster oven soon....

Health department says filthy taco truck vendors found during surprise visits

2010-05-27T09:34:00.000-05:00

In search of atherosclerosis...road trip to Georgetown, Texas...

2010-05-24T01:13:00.020-05:00

Ever work...work a lot? Ever go months...years...several years...and get buried so deep in work that you can smell King Tut's ass crack? Ever been self-employed and realize that the guys flipping burgers at McDonald's are bringing home more cash than you and only work 18 hours a week versus the MINUS $237 you NET for working 80 hours a week? Ever let a few years slip buy in the blink of an eye and not even realize it?

Time
(Mason, Waters, Wright, Gilmour) 7:06

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.

Then it's time for a road trip!!! I had a weekend off, so Tracey jumped in the hooptie with me for a trip to go visit my parents in Georgetown. I figured we could break up the trip by staying the night in Lockhart after eating something from one of their famous BBQ joints, but we only made it to Luling before we needed a food break...

The rest is mostly in pictures. For our coming reviews on the restaurants, check out Yelp: swyzlstyx.yelp.com

Luling Bar-B-Q

A pound of brisket:

A pound of ribs:

Best Western Lockhart

A Peterbilt:

Our Honeymoon Suite...complete with Jacuzzi. (The jacuzzi is very handy for gutting deer and draining ice chests, and doubles as a bed for the vomiting drunk guy in your hunting party.)

The next morning we went to Smitty's BBQ in Lockhart before 11:00am for lunch:

Half pound of lean brisket, a pork chop, a couple of ribs, and two sausage links:

It was the "smallest" pork chop they had!

In my parents' 'hood, deer just run around on the street, including this little Bambi that I managed not to run over!

After a great and much needed visit to see my parents and my brother and his wife in Georgetown, we stopped off in Columbus, Texas, to pick up a pie for one of Tracey's coworkers. You've been to Schobels restaurant as a kid...haven't you? This place is where tourist, or locals that have been coming for many years...and testing the weight limit of the chairs inside. I told Tracey that we'd be the youngest's people in the place...and we were...except for the 347 pound Columbus high school football players who were eating their way through the menu next to us.

I stuck with the healthiest thing on the menu...a cheeseburger and french fries:

Ronnie James Dio dies

2010-05-17T08:49:00.002-05:00

http://blogs.chron.com/peep/2010/05/ronnie_james_dio_dead_1.html

"The heavy metal singer died early this morning. He was being treated at M.D. Anderson in Houston....."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/16/ronnie-james-dio-dies1

"The heavy metal singer, Ronnie James Dio, has died at the age of 67. He had been suffering from stomach cancer. ...Dio was best known for fronting Black Sabbath after the departure of Ozzy Osbourne, but he was also involved in the bands Elf, Rainbow, Heaven & Hell and Dio during a career stretching over 53 years...."

Sundays at Kim Tai's

2010-05-16T23:23:00.000-05:00

Fighting the onset of starvation, Tracey and I finally jumped in my hooptie and made our "regular" Sunday jaunt to Kim Tai's Vietnamese diner. As usual, I spend all week contemplating my order...and as usual...I end up eating something very different...something new...something wonderful.

I've often joked about ordering a burger and fries at Kim Tai's, since it IS on her lunch menu...and I can't imagine that it wouldn't be good. But today I just wanted to try a bánh mì, since I've never tried one of hers, and didn't want to stuff myself so full that I have to spend the rest of the day sleeping on the couch. (I say this every Sunday morning before lunch...in some Budweiser induced state of delusion.)

But when we arrived, there was guy...a BIG guy...a REALLY BIG guy...sitting at one of the outside tables being served up a double-meat burger and onion rings. So as my cold Bud arrived and I was faced with the fact I now needed to place an order...you know what I was going to get...a double-meat burger and french fries.

I anxiously ordered my burger...trying play it cool...knowing the anticipation of a simple burger and fries shouldn't be all that exciting for the average person. I took another quick look at the big guy outside's plate: he'd at his entire double-meat burger and onion rings...cleaned the plate...before I'd even had a chance to see it! Now I really can't wait!

Let me say...I don't eat burgers when I go out to eat very often...especially not fast food burgers. I don't like gimmicky monster burgers covered with CRAP like you'd see on Man vs. Food, or a sloppy burger you might see Guy Fieri trying to cram down his hole. I like it simple...: A sesame bun from a bag. A "normal" sized patty of good ground beef. Lettuce. Tomato. Maybe a slice of cheese. No mayo...no mustard...I like hot sauce, steak sauce, BBQ sauce, or even just ketchup.

My Kim Tai double meat burger (lettuce and tomato, no sauce, no cheese) and fries arrived like a perfectly wrapped present from Santa Claus, which I could barely manage to take a picture of before tearing it open. I already had my sauces lined up ready to go. The last time I made burgers at home, I found that hoisin sauce and Sriracha kick ass on them...so I added a little of both to my Kim Tai burger.

It wasn't covered in coney island chili. It didn't have 1.3 pounds of bacon piled on it. It wasn't 13" high. It wasn't made from rhinoceros meat. I didn't have to wait in line for 2 hours to get it. It didn't cost $14.95. My skull wouldn't burst into flames if I ate it. I wouldn't get it for free if I managed to eat the whole thing in 30 minutes. I would get my picture on the wall for keeping it down. No TV show contracts. And I wouldn't have to share a table with Adam Richman to eat it.

It was simply the perfect burger. And not just the perfect buger...but a two-patty perfect burger. Need I say more about this burger? Okay:

Remember the big guy...the really big guy above? I now understand. At some point in his life he stumbled upon this burger. In his case, the double meat burger and onion rings. Maybe he used to be a skinny guy? Probably not. Maybe he used to just be a "big" guy...just like me? Fortunately, I can't afford to eat out very often, and work from home where I make my own lunch, or maybe I would become that guy. Maybe?

Kim Tai makes great Vietnamese food. But I WILL have this burger again...even if it means sneaking out on weekdays for lunch when I can scrape up the cash.

And that's not where this story ends. After I had the perfect burger experience, and Tracey was doing her best with an AMAZING plate (or mountain) of more wonderful things that I can remember, the Kim Tai girls started bringing us her new "crab cakes". I just ate an entire double-burger and a plate of fries (I can't believe I ate it all)...now there's this big plate of little pieces of toast topped with crab cake mixture. Jebus...they were crazy good...we ate the hole plate...I thought I was going to blow the waistband out on my britches. Then Kim Tai sent over another plate of them...which I tried to refuse...but she was sure my big fat ass could eat some more...and I did. She says they will be going on the menu soon...and probably only be like $3.95 for a plate of six. Un-freakin-believeable. Try ordering these at Brennan's down the street without blowing your rent money. I could sit in Kim Tai's, eat these killer "crab cakes" non-stop, and drink Bud all damned weekend, without breaking the bank.

And to think, some people would rather go to church on Sunday.

My little present:

YES!

Wow..."crab cakes"...

Faith Poison Films puts the mark of death on an Eado landmark...

2010-05-11T18:09:00.002-05:00

In my May 7, 2010 blog post, you saw a picture of an Eado building, bearing the sign "oriental" on the front...with a mini-van seemingly trapped in a makeshift garage on the side. Also note that the burglar bar door is open on the front. There are a lot of crackheads/hobos that hang out on this block...inside buildings and in the bushes behind the "oriental"...so they could have easily burned the place down.

Today, May 11, 2010, that building burned to the ground. The fire was reported at 2:18pm, and shortly after I was on the scene to indentify the remains.

On May 7th, it was this building:

Here was the scene today:

Mini and the mean looking birds...

2010-05-11T11:52:00.001-05:00

A little less flattering...

2010-05-09T22:37:00.000-05:00

Swyzlstyx of Faith Poison Films (Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down) is the leading opponent of the use of chocolate fountains for public events.

Riding my bike home through Eado today...

2010-05-07T12:29:00.001-05:00

So I was making a run to OfficeMax yesterday evening for some printer ink, to keep Faith Poison Films DVD's rolling off the assembly line, when I felt my rear wiggling pretty bad, while rolling down Allen Parkway. I pulled over in Buffalo Bayou/Sabine Park, and found it wasn't the Duran Duran record I was listening to that had me swangin', but instead a huge screw stuck in my now FLAT rear tire.

Fortunately I keep a can of Fix-A-Flat, tire plugs, an air compressor, and a set of tools in my car, since being stranded on the side of the road isn't good for my business, so after 5 minutes in a handicapped parking spot I was back on the road. (Hey, my car was handicapped.)

So this morning, in true "swangin'" style, I popped open the trunk, chunked my bicycle half way inside, and headed for Goodyear downtown.

I'm a big fan of Downtown Houston's Goodyear service center. It's easy to be cynical when it comes to mechanics. You take your automobile to them becuase you either can't fix it yourself, don't have the means, or have no idea what's wrong with it. Then, they quote you a huge price, and you have no choice but to pay for it. I feel exactly the same about doctors. But somehow the nice people at Goodyear always make me smile as they drain my bank account, and regardless of how big the job, they always finish it up by the end of the day!

Anyways, back to business, here's my pictures from the bike ride home through Eado:

Whoops...an accidental picture of my bike and boot...

The Oriental is a cool Eado hangout...

Features garage parking...

Here's a nice Eado bed & breakfast, for those of you looking to travel to Houston...

A great place to have your morning coffee while staying here...

Business is booming at this Eado shop...

Inside is a nice selection of items for your home and auto...

I think this Eado crib is part of the Yen Huong Bakery?

Looking for a long term stay? Eado features high-end residential living, complete with satellite TV, state of the art window unit air conditioning, and and move-in specials!

Ready to expand your business in Houston? Picture YOUR business name on the front:

Future home of the Faith Poison Films Studio?

Inside:

And here's Eado's Fort Herrin, where the neighborhood's white trash, pot-heads, and assholes are locked away...

The backyard...

Sundays at Kim Tai's

2010-05-04T11:03:00.001-05:00

This Sunday Kim Tai made us her "Vietnamese Pizza"....or Banh Xeo.

Mini the Cat

2010-05-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

I made the mistake of letting Mini play in the closet last week, and now ever since she's been determined to bust down the door to the bathroom and closet to get back in!

Strapped for food?

2010-05-04T10:53:00.002-05:00

Name that chow:

Another murder in Eado...

2010-05-03T10:03:00.003-05:00

2020 is another hip-hop club down the street from club Next, here in Eado. I'm really not sure what the violations need to be in order for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to shut a club down, but murder isn’t one of them. 2020 is open as late as 6:00 a.m., and is another one of the blights of Eado that make it such a dangerous area to be in at night. Fighting in the streets, gang activity, gunfire, open dealing of narcotics, vehicle break-ins/theft, extremely dangerous traffic conditions, littering (even with club flyers), and property damage are what these clubs bring to Eado. The coming TSU/Dynamo stadium promises to elevate this to a grand scale!

HPD: 14-year-old killed, 2 others shot at high school party

On Saturday, Jaylon Calloway, 14, a Yates High School student with no history of gang involvement, was shot in the head as he and hundreds of others stampeded away from a private party at a warehouse nightclub at 2020 Leeland. They were trying to dodge a barrage of bullets fired into the crowd when a large fight ensued between two gangs, said Houston Police Department homicide investigator Todd Miller. Up to 50 rounds were fired by several shooters, none of whom have yet been identified.

Date night at Cafe Thiem Hung...

2010-04-29T21:13:00.003-05:00

Thiem Hung is now open Thursday and Friday evenings from 6-9pm. Bring your own bottle of wine!

This week's special: Bo Luc Loc (made with filet mignon, vegetables, and rice)

Russian manufactured Mexican military helicopter crossed the border into Texas

2010-04-29T11:28:00.001-05:00

Maybe it was simply looking for a better paying job with the U.S. military?

Mexican helicopter over Texas sparks drug war concerns

Life in EaDo

2010-04-28T13:01:00.004-05:00

It’s a mixed bag here in the old industrial area east of Downtown Houston, including the area known as Old Chinatown, which thanks to some moron has now been dubbed "Eado". The area was essentially cut off from downtown Houston with the construction of the George R. Brown Convention Center...you know...that massive ugly building that looks like a 1980's Carnival Cruise ship. Among the many remaining businesses there are sprinklings of residences, which consist of a couple of hard lofts in converted old buildings, along with quite a few clusters of those newly constructed vertical town homes that litter the area.

You’d think it would make for a pretty peaceful place to live…and much of the time it is. But throw in a large hip-hop club, some homeless shelters, a huge neighboring residential area full of low income families, an upcoming Soccer and TSU football stadium, and it’s enough to send you packing to the suburbs.

There’s a pretty cool, albeit eclectic, dive bar on the eastern Eado border with Eastwood, called the D&W Lounge. I couldn’t resist checking it out, and stopped in myself, since it is just a few blocks down. It’s one of the few “real” working class dive bars inside the loop. The inside is DARK…and the décor is somewhat bizarre. The beer is super cold, and cheap. The people are friendly, and the owner is just a really nice guy. I thought it was cool enough that I had to show Tracey so we rode our bicycles down there one afternoon and kicked back on their patio with a cold one while someone roasted animals on the barbecue pit.

This past weekend a man and his wife left the D&W Lounge, and when they came to a stop at the railroad tracks near McKinney and Milby, a pair if Hispanic men approached the car. They put a bullet into the man’s head and fled on foot into the night. The wife drove her husband back to the lounge to get help…but he was dead.

Police: Man shot and killed after leaving pool hall in east Houston

Gunshots are not out of the ordinary in Eado. On Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday nights, the area surrounding Club Next becomes only what I could describe as a hip-hop rendition of Apocalypse Now from midnight until sometimes 3:00am or later. Gunshots, fighting, cars “swangin’” with their speakers so loud your windows rattle a block away, is a normal night around Club Next. One person was even murdered INSIDE the club. My neighbor across the street has been leading the charge to get the club’s liquor license taken away, but apparently quite a few people will have to die before that actually happens. One night he was on his own front lawn, videotaping a fight taking place in the street between some Club Next patrons, when the thugs turned on him. They came into his gated property, beat him, kicked him on the ground, and stole his video camera. Most of them left in a stolen car, but the biggest assailant stayed behind to try and stop him from taking more pictures with his cellphone…and even stayed on his front porch until the others were gone…then left on foot. I caught the assault on video, and the assailant was later identified, and reported to have been on parole at the time. Police presence is either overwhelming in front of the club, when a crime takes place, or typically almost non-existent. On club nights, I’ve watched criminals openly walk from car to car, looking in windows, pulling on door handles, bumping the glass to check for car alarms, and simply working their way down the street until they find the ones they want. Drugs are openly dealt from cars around the club. I’ve seen girls leave the club, and squat to piss right in the street. I’ve seen some so drunk that they’ve collapsed right in the middle of McKinney, to then be carried off and put into a car. But crime is part of life here in Eado. One of my neighbors downstairs was robbed at gunpoint in front of our building while walking his dog. He didn't seem to shaken by the incident...I guess since it's not all that surprising around here.

Here's my neighbor being assaulted by Club Next patrons:

Here’s some typical (even quiet) nights in the area around Club Next:

Are you down on your luck? Are you living out of a duffle bag? Come on over! If Houston’s homeless wanted one place to call “home”, that place is called Eado. With various shelters/soup kitchens to fulfill your needs, you’ll never go hungry. You might just get fat! Eado is LITTERED with the homeless. They’re usually found snoozing the day away in masses or all alone, out in the open or in vacant buildings, and sometimes build some downright pretty fancy little shacks…even right here on the back of our nice loft. Don’t count on finding a lot of metal to steal and sell as scrap, and most everything that is not properly bolted or welded in place has already been stripped and sold as scrap. Some of the fire hydrants are even missing their covers! As a self-employed business man, I’ve been pretty close to being homeless myself, and now it’s good to know I won’t have to go far to find myself in Houston’s Mecca for the homeless.

In addition to the joys of the Club Next patrons, the concert-goers at Warehouse Live, and the fact that Eado also serves as the parking for those attending Astros games at MinuteMaid Park, we now have something else to look forward to: Dynamo Stadium. Yep, right in the middle of what is now the biggest parking clusterfuck in Houston, they’re going to build a huge soccer stadium. And even better, it will also be the home to the Texas Southern University football team. I’d like to personally send a big “screw you” to everyone in Eado that pushed to have it built here. Dynamo supporters used scare tactics and misinformation to trick many residents into getting the stadium built here. At one point they even started a rumor that if the stadium wasn’t built, the city was going to build a jail full of violent criminals…even putting up flyers in front of our building. One poor lady down the hall simply seemed terrified at the prospect of the jail, and of course became a big supporter for the stadium. No plans were made to build a jail on the property…it was complete bullshit. Others have been convinced that the stadium will bring economic prosperity to the area. What?? The only thing it will bring is MORE crime and MORE surface parking lots. But I guess if I need a 2nd job selling nachos and Miller Lite to soccer fans and TSU students, I won’t have far to walk. (I’ll just need to invest in a bullet-proof vest and a can of bear repellent.) As for bringing economic prosperity, the only thing I see coming to Eado with the stadium is another crappy B.U.S. bar…that’s all MM Park and the Toyota Center brought. Of course, it will probably come at the expense of Lucky’s Pub…which is trashed out enough…but at least they make a killer pepperoni pizza!

DC area police look for witness to TSU shooting

Six more suspects charged in TSU shooting

Suspect in TSU shooting turns himself in

Shooting at TSU campus may be gang-related

County approves Dynamo stadium deal

Yeah, Eado really has some potential, but it really isn’t headed in the right direction. You have a lot of the convenience of being close to Downtown, without none of the rush-hour traffic headaches and non-stop noise. It’s fairly quiet here much of the time, with the exception of Club Next and Warehouse Live, with super fast access to the major freeways…getting you anywhere in Houston in a matter of minutes. But I think the Dynamo Stadium will be the last straw for me…and as luck has it my lease will be up for renewal during its construction. Maybe we’ll move back to Downtown where I sleep pretty well to the sounds of the city…but not so well here in Eado to the sounds of gunshots, fighting, hip-hop, and police sirens.

Sundays at Kim Tai's

2010-04-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

Some people line up at the Craker Barrel after church. Some blow their newly found penance at Los Cucos. But most Sundays you can often find us at Kim Tai's Restaurant after a long week, finding sanctity in whatever they'll bring to our table. I've never had a dish I didn't love there...the beer is always cold...and the family running the joint couldn't be any friendlier.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/kim-tai-restaurant-houston

After Thiem Hung recently restored my Faith in the chicken dinner (see below) with one of the most amazing meals of my life, I just couldn't wait to see what Kim Tai would do with a similar dish. I wasn't disappointed!

The chicken with rice, fried egg, and egg rolls plate was great! The char on the chicken made the dish. The chicken was juicy and cooked perfectly. As usual, the rice becomes happiness when you add a fried egg on top, and the egg rolls are just sinful.

What are YOU doing this Sunday?

Thiem Hung "After Dark"

2010-04-22T22:12:00.001-05:00

Tonight's chicken dinner special...included chicken and rice, a salad, and a brownie and ice cream for dessert. This was all CRAZY good!!

They are now open on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6-9pm...and it's BYOB...even better. Candlelight, white tablecloths, great music, and friendly people. I'm up to 86 reviews on Yelp...and Thiem Hung is hands down my favorite restaurant in Houston!

Click here for Thiem Hung's reviews on Yelp

Last week's special...pork chop and fried rice, with fried bananas and ice cream for dessert. Out of this world.

Indira & Mini

2010-04-22T12:54:00.000-05:00

Office Helpers

Laundry Helpers

April 17, 2010 Club Next

2010-04-20T14:21:00.001-05:00

Video of the streets around Club Next in Eado, East of Downtown Houston, Texas. Between 1:00am and 4:00am on April 17, 2010. Club DJ's speakers could be heard inside of my home. Multiple fights took place after the club had closed.

Yesterday's Lunch...

2010-04-11T23:31:00.000-05:00

Baba Yega's in Montrose
http://www.yelp.com/biz/baba-yega-houston

Turkey and Brie sammich...awesome...

The Red Lion Pub

Today's Eats

2010-04-11T22:24:00.001-05:00

Kim Tai
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kim-tai-restaurant-houston

Tracey's lunch...check this out:

My beef stew and french bread...I love this stuff:

A long-armed cat:

Just thought it was funny...

2010-03-29T13:37:00.000-05:00

This is why you don't eat outside downtown. You share the tables with pigeons and hobos.

Name That Event

2010-03-22T09:59:00.001-05:00

Where do you always find the following?

1. A platter or carving station featuring prime rib.
2. A huge silver vat of penne pasta.
3. A goofy looking guy with a video camera who is dreaming of frozen pizza.

Arrest in front of Club Next in Houston, Texas 02.27.10

2010-03-02T19:55:00.001-06:00

Another early morning in front of Club Next in Houston's Eado area. Someone got busted for something in her car, so the entire police department came to arrest her.

This low light footage was shot with the Panasonic DMC-ZS3 point-n-shoot camera at 720p. Unedited, but rendered to MP4 for YouTube using Sony Vegas.

A look around EaDo, Houston, Texas...4 Panoramic Photos.

2010-02-21T22:10:00.000-06:00

I was playing with the panorama mode on my little Panasonic DMC-ZS3 point and shoot camera. Here's 4 panoramic pics...stitched together using Photoshop Elements 7, looking around the area East of Downtown Houston, Texas, AKA as "EaDo"...although I think that name is kinda stupid. Shots taken on February 20, 2010.

Pizza of the Day...

2010-02-21T21:57:00.002-06:00

I made a couple of pizza pies today...generally consisting of:

Wheat crust with Italian seasoning mix.
Kroger generic spaghetti sauce.
Kroger brand "pizza" blend cheese.
Sargento grated parmesan.
Diced yellow and orange peppers.
Kroger brand turkey pepperoni.
Chicken pulled from a whole Kroger BBQ rotisserie chicken, with additional kroger BBQ sauce.

I made two pies, but ate most of the first one before before I could take a picture of it...it was just that good...

faith poison pork and potato pocket pies

2010-02-05T22:01:00.001-06:00

Inspired by my discovery of the awesome Oh My! Pocket Pies lunch truck parked across the street, and the wonderful "pocket pies" they make, I decided I'd attempt to make a pocket pie of my own.

Instead of a tender, flaky, fried, "modest" sized pie, I decided to make mine with my pizza dough recipe (like a calzone), and make them big, ugly, and stuff them with my slow-cooker pork stew.

I filled them with:
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Stew: 1 big pork loin, 3 sweet potatoes, 1 yellow onion, 6 cloves of garlic, 5 stalks of celery, and spices....cooked for 10 hours on low.
Kroger brand "pizza cheese".
Extra cayenne pepper and hot sauce added.

Pockets made from basic pizza dough kneaded in the stand mixer, sealed with an egg wash, and baked in the over instead of deep fried. (They're just too big for my deep fryer.)

I SHOULD have cooked these at a higher temperature, and should have cooked them on my pizza stone...but was worried they were going to explode and make a mess. So I just threw them on a cookie sheet...and it made the bottoms kinda tough.

But they're still pretty damned good...especially with some Valentina taco sauce or some Tiger sauce.

I now need to get some clothes with bigger pockets to carry them in....

First batch hot out of the oven...

First look...

A happy pocket pie with Valentina taco sauce...this second batch was made with extra pizza cheese...

So ugly only a father could love them...

It's pizza time again!

2010-01-27T23:48:00.000-06:00

Wheat crust. Pepperoni. Spaghetti Sauce. Mild cheddar cheese. Habanero cheese. Monterey Jack. Parmesan cheese. Italian seasoning. Flour....EVERYWHERE.

Pizza One:

Pizza Two:

Super Easy Bachelor Oven Fish...

2010-01-27T20:09:00.000-06:00

2 tilapia filets
smeared with olive oil margarine
coated with panko bread crumbs
sprinkled with creole spice

cook in your toaster oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes

served on brown rice and corn...

Paper Thin Walls

2010-01-25T13:09:00.003-06:00

I've been wondering about the recent resurgence of classic rock with the 20-somethings I see at my gigs, and a buddy on a forum says it's probably because of the TV show "Glee"...which I've never seen.

Anyways, the young fella next door is always listening to classic rock now...sometimes singing along...which is a joy for me...considering our paper thin walls. I think it's hilarious...at least when it's not 3:00am and I'm trying to sleep. I just recorded him jamming out to Air Supply. Mini the cat gives her thoughts at the end...