Craw-Wish Boil

Armadillo Palace hosts ‘Craw-Wish Boil’ for a good cause

We’ve all heard of a crawfish boil. Now Goode’s Armadillo Palace wants to familiarize you with a “Craw-Wish Boil.”

That’s the name they’re giving to a first-year event benefitting the Gulf Coast & Louisiana chapter of Make-a-Wish Foundation to be held on Saturday, May 11 from noon to 4 at Armadillo Palace, 5015 Kirby. The 21-and-over party, presented by Goode Company Restaurants, will feature all-you-can-eat crawfish and all-you-can-drink beer for $25 per person in advance or $30 at the door. Music will be provided by the Derailers and Curtis Pollard and the Creole Zydeco Band.

Armadillo Place will be open during the party serving is full menu and bar at regular prices.

Goode Company hopes to make it an annual event.

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Audition for the Texas Renaissance Festival

If you ever wanted to be a part of the Texas Renaissance Festival auditions will be held on two upcoming sessions from 8:30 – noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday May 4 and Saturday May 11 at Texas Renaissance Festival grounds at 21778 FM 1774 Todd Mission.

Auditions for performers are open to everyone, but you must register first by calling 1-800-458-3435. The performers stay true to character as the ren fest runs for eight-themed weekends in the fall.



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Black Sabbath to open tour at Woodlands Pavilion

Black Sabbath will open it’s North American tour July 25 at the Woodlands Pavlion. The announcement comes on the heels of frontman Ozzy Osbourne’s admission that he has been drinking and taking drugs for the last year-and-a-half.

“I was in a very dark place and was an (expletive) to the people I love most, my family,” he posted on Facebook. “However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober. Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing. I’m just trying to be a better person.”

Here’s hoping he’s back on track. (But is going on the road really the best decision right now?)

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Burns BBQ adds Cajun to menu

Burns BBQ has introduced authentic smoked Cajun boudin to its menu. Boss man Cory Crawford is dabbling with the idea of adding turkey legs, too.

Customer appreciation day is May 4. Burns BBQ is owned by the family of Los Angeles Dodgers star Carl Crawford. It’s at 8307 De Priest St. in the Acres Home neighborhood of Houston. Burns BBQ is the real deal.

Burns BBQ

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Houston Pride

Well its almost that time of year again, houston gay pride is just around the corner so get ready for another fun time to be had by all...

Houston Pride June 21-30

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‘Amazing Race’ to headline Pride Houston

Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis, who competed as Team Chippendales on “The Amazing Race,” headline this year’s Pride Houston festivities. (Doing what, you ask?)

The duo will perform a musical set during the festival (1-7 p.m. June 29 in Montrose). Vaughan is a singer and Davis plays guitar. They employ those talents, among others, during a nightly Chippendales show their own theater in Las Vegas.

“The amount of love and support we have received from the LGBT community has been beyond overwhelming,” Vaughan says. “And now Houston opening their arms to us as well is really just amazing. It’s such a fun, exciting, big city — and we could not be more excited to actually get to perform there.”
Vaughan released a dance track, “Vampire,” in 2011. Proceeds from his new single, “Tonight,” will be used to help with bills accumulated from his late father’s battle with cancer.

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Coastal seafood restaurant Eleven XI to open next month

Coastal seafood restaurant Eleven XI to open next month

If you do an Internet search on "11:11," you'll find a lot of writings on numerology, synchronicity and spirituality. Whatever meaning owners of the new restaurant Eleven XI ("eleven eleven") intended - they say it refers to "the wishing hour" - they're hoping the name proves fortuitous.

"There seems to be inherent good magic to it," said Joe Welborn, one of Eleven XI's partners. "At the end of the day, it's luck."

Houston restaurant-goers will have to wait until the first full week of May, though, to see if luck visits the new restaurant at 607 W. Gray. That's when general manager Welborn (formerly of Soma Sushi and the Rockwood Room), bar manager Joe Hausner (formerly of Eddie V's at CityCentre) and chef Kevin Bryant (who local foodies know from Tony's, the Capitol at St. Germain and most recently L'Olivier) are set to open a new Southern coastal restaurant in the former Bibas Diner space.

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Everything you need to know about downtown Houston

Everything you need to know about downtown Houston

How well do you know downtown Houston? If you just moved to the area or live, work and play outside the Loop, navigating the center of our great city can be daunting.
But not to worry - this is a comprehensive guide to all you can see and do downtown - even Houston experts might find something new to get excited about.

Highlights and landmarks
Let's start with the sightseeing. Here are all the stops you'll want to make if you take one big tour of downtown or spread it out over the weeks, months or years.
READ: Are you up on all things downtown Houston?

Downtown dining
Traipsing around the city will probably leave you hungry. Our resident foodie, Alison Cook, has chosen several downtown restaurants as her Top 100. And she's adding to her list of favorites as new eateries continue to open.
READ: Several of Alison Cook's favorites are found in the heart of the city

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The Pearland Crawfish Festival

The Pearland Crawfish Festival (Photo Gallery)

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Take laid-back approach to feasting on mudbugs

For many crawfish lovers, it's not just the mudbugs that appeal this time of the year.
It's the whole crawfish scene: kicking back on a large patio, enjoying a cool breeze, a cold beer and a couple pounds of crawfish with friends.
Here are some places with patio scenes as good as the crawfish. Prices were current at press time but can fluctuate.

- At Crazy Alan's Swamp Shack in Kemah, a recording tells callers the current prices on crawfish. It's $5.99 per pound for up to 4 pounds. For 5 pounds or more, the price drops to $4.99. Time your visit for 6-9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, when mudbugs go for $3.99 a pound.

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How to eat crawfish

Eating crawfish the right way




It's crawfish season, which conjures images of patio parties with buckets of beers and platters of juicy, hot-from-the-boiling-pot crustaceans. Don't sit on the sidelines just because you've never eaten a boiled crawfish.
Here's a do-it-yourselfer's guide to eating crawfish.
1. OFF WITH THE HEAD: Grasp the head in one hand and the tail in the other hand. Twist the tail one way and then the other to break it loose. Pull the tail away from the head. Set the head aside.
2. PEEL 'EM: Crush and peel away two or three segments of shell from the tail to expose more meat.
3. TO THE TOOTH: With your teeth, grab the meat that's sticking out and pull it out. If there's some tail meat remaining, pull it off with your fingers.
4. HEAD LINING: Pick up the head. Using your index finger, scrape out the fat. Or you can do like the big boys and suck it out.
5. CLAWS OUT: If the claws are big, take the segment that moves easily and pull it down. Take the meat off with your teeth.


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Music, mudbugs and much more

April is the best time of year to sit around a heat source and cook a bunch of food while live music plays. Because it's crawfish season, mudbugs are the dominant food of choice at the various festivals happening nearby over the next few weeks. But there also is some BBQ to be found. Following is a round-up of some of the upcoming festivals.

Pearland Crawfish Festival
Blues and zydeco will make up the soundtrack with more than 25 performers, including the Zydeco Dots, Bon Ton Mickey & the Zydeco Highsteppers, John Egan and Dave Nevling & the Blues Kats. Crawfish, naturally, will be readily available at $3.50 a pound, along with an assortment of Cajun and festival food. The festival also will have carnival rides. It spans three days and benefits Friends of Pearland Westside Library and the Houston Blues Society.
When: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
Where: The west side of Texas 288, between FM 2234 and Broadway
Tickets and full list of performers: $5-$18 (children younger than 12 and service men and women with current ID get in free); www.pearlandcrawfishfestival.com.

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Indulgent pizza coming to hot Montrose bar

It never ceases to amaze what comes out of the mobile kitchen parked behind Boheme.
Chef Richi Singh

In his makeshift kitchen, chef Rishi Singh produces some of the city's most interesting -- and tastiest -- pizzas.The Montrose wine bar offers nearly two dozen imaginative lavash-style pizzas. Singh is a master of fusion. He frequently subs concoctions such as Korean-inspired barbecue sauce or a nutty Middle Eastern-style pepper spread for tomato sauce.

His latest pizza is all about indulgence. The tomato sauced flatbread is topped with foie gras(!), arugula, Mongolian oil onions, rosemary, mozzarella and honey.

The pizza goes on sale Monday, April 8 and will set you back $33. (We said it was all about indulgence.)

If that's a little rich for your blood, may we suggest the Dutchie ($16) with its sciracha-spiked tomato sauce, pancetta, and fresh basil or the Tart Goat & Greens ($16), a garlick-y pizza with goat cheese, cranberry, roasted tomato and arugula.

Boheme: 307 Fairview, 713-529-1099
Open at 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 3 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday-Sunday. Happy hour: all day Sunday-Monday and 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday



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Memorial Day fireworks

Memorial Day fireworks in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Celebrate Memorial Day weekend with free concerts, fireworks presented by Wells Fargo, food, fun, strolling entertainers and more as The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau hosts “Memorial Day in The Woodlands,” May 25 – 26, 2013, from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Waterway Square.

On Saturday, May 25, bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the Country & Variety sounds of Leannasaurus Rex from 6 p.m. – 7:20 pm followed by the classic rock sounds of The Rock-a-Fellas from 7:40 p.m. – 9 p.m. Immediately following the concert, enjoy a fantastic fireworks display presented by Wells Fargo, weather permitting.

The fun continues on Sunday with the country/alternative band Josh Fuller and Dirt & Diesel taking the stage from 6 p.m. – 7:20 pm. Nobody’s Fool, with Kelley Peters, will close out the night playing a variety of sounds from 7:40 p.m. - 9 p.m. Once again, the night sky will light up with a dazzling fireworks display as the music ends.

Memorial Day in The Woodlands is free and open to the public thanks to Wells Fargo, The Woodlands Development Company, The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center, Kyle Sherburne – State Farm Insurance, Munday Chevrolet, Wright’s Printing, Kroger, Bud Light and Xfinity.

Paid covered parking is available at the 24 Waterway Parking Garage (located at corner of Fountain Plaza & Lake Robbins Drive), the Waterway Square Parking Garage (between Fountain Plaza and Woodloch Court) and the surface parking lot along the corner of Waterway Avenue and Timberloch Place. “Memorial Day” attendees will also find limited, free curbside parking along Lake Robbins Drive, Waterway Avenue, Waterway Square Place, and Timberloch Place.
For more information on the event, visit www.thewoodlandscvb.com/memorialday.asp or call 281-363-2447.


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Upcoming Food Events

Wine

Education: Wine 101 Tasting Class at Circle S Vineyards, 9920 U.S. 90A, Sugar Land; $20; 2-4 p.m. Saturday; 281-265-9463.

Road trip: Spring Bluebonnet Wine and Cheese Trail at wineries in Plantersville, Montgomery, Bryan, College Station, Brenham, Navasota, Burton and Richards; $25/$45 for two; noon-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and April 13-14; Texasbluebonnetwinetrail.com.

Wine Workshop: Learn about the grapes that provide several popular wines and sample six, including prosecco, sheeraz, brut and rose (you must be 21 or older); $10; 6:30 p.m. Monday; Central Market, 3815 Westheimer; 713-993-9860 or www.centralmarket.com.

Cornerstone wine dinner: Wine dinner at Fleming's, 2405 W. Alabama; $125 ($100 for Cornerstone Wine Club members); 6:30 p.m. April 10; alexc@cornerstonecellars.com or 713 520-5959.

Tasting: Blind tasting at GenuWine Tasting Room, 6503 FM 1488, Magnolia; 6-8 p.m. Saturday; $45 wine club members, $50 others; 832 934-2675.

Deep vine wines: Ungrafted: Wines from Deep Vines with Christian Varas of River Oaks Country Club as part of Vanessa Treviño Boyd's Sommelier Series; $40; 6-7:30 p.m. April 10; Phil's Wine Bar, 1800 Post Oak; kgarver@philippehouston.com.

Cooking

Gnocchi 101: Learn to make classic Italian dumplings and easy sauces from scratch; $69; 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday; Sur La Table, 2210 Lone Star (Sugar Land Town Square); www.surlatable.com, 281-242-2238 or cooking116@surlatable.com.

Dinner party in Venice: Make Italian dishes such as classic bruschetta, cannelonni and more; $69; 6:30 p.m. Thursday; Well Done Cooking Classes, 1208 E. 29th St.; 832-782-3518 or www.welldonecc.com.

Flavorful Friday night dinner: Start your weekend learning to make several new dishes with crab, chicken, vegetables and dessert; $69; 6:30-9 p.m. Friday; Central Market, 3815 Westheimer; 713-993-9860 or www.centralmarket.com.

Soulful entertaining: Elliot Farmer will demonstrate more healthful versions of traditional Southern foods; 6-9 p.m. Friday; Urban Chef Cooking School, 3651 Weslayan, Suite 204; urbanchefhouston.com or 713-504-1700.

Italian bread: Learn to make an assortment of rustic Italian breads; $69; 10 a.m.-noon Saturday; Sur La Table, 1996 W. Gray; www.surlatable.com or 800-243-0852.

Moroccan cuisine: Chef Jon Boulos will have you preparing traditional couscous, chicken tagine, red lentils with carmelized onions and lemon sorbet; 6-9 p.m. Saturday; Urban Chef Cooking School, 3651 Weslayan, Suite 204; urbanchefhouston.com or 713-504-1700.



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Bayou City History

Houston Beatles fans twist and shout at 1965 concert

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Texas wildflowers

Texas wildflowers

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Texas wildflowers (Photo Gallery)

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Memorial Hermann to build Pearland hospital

Memorial Hermann to build Pearland hospital

Memorial Hermann said Monday it will build a medical campus in Pearland, developing a 40-acre site, which already includes an outpatient imaging center, lab and medical office building.
The centerpiece of the new campus will be a 64-bed acute care hospital, which will open in 2015 on the southbound side of Highway 288 near FM 518. A groundbreaking ceremony will be announced soon, the hospital said.
“This new medical campus gives Pearland and surrounding areas better access to the expertise of Memorial Hermann and provides a place for medical professionals and the region’s top specialists to care for their patients closer to home,” Dan Wolterman, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System, said in a statement.
The hospital notes U.S. Census Bureau figures that Pearland is ranked as the 15th fastest growing city in the United States. Others have begun medical projects in the area.
The new Memorial Hermann facility will include a “one-of-a-kind” convenient care center, scheduled to open later this year, the hospital said. It will provide adult and pediatric primary care, specialty physicians, sports medicine and rehabilitation and a 24-hour emergency room.



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