Northern California

The 10 Most Corrupt Tax Loopholes

If Mitt Romney won't tell you which need to be closed, we will

The Women of Dallas Are Armed and Dangerous, Thanks to Mama Jeanie

Her own shooting career derailed, Jeanie Almond has become Dallas' go-to teacher for shooting's fastest-growing market: women.

Photographer Mike Brooks Was a Late Bloomer

Freelance photographer (and Observer contributor) Mike Brooks grew up in Hawaii. Pretty easy to fall in love with the visual arts there, but he didn't start out as a music photographer. Since his days at the Punahou School in Honolulu, and two colleges in Northern California, he's built a rep shoo ... More >>

Merle Haggard Tells It Like It Is

Become a Monk, Only Without the Lifetime Celibacy Thing

Have you ever wanted to be a monk but are turned off by the inconveniences of monastic life? Maybe said to yourself, "Gee, I'd love to devote my whole life to God, but that's so hard. How about just four days? And that life-of-celibacy thing is a deal breaker." If so, your prayers will be answered ... More >>

A Missing Teenager's Texas Getaway

When a teenage girl from small-town Minnesota disappeared with a man 12 years older, everyone knew where they went. So why didn't anyone look?

Chuck Ragan on The Revival Tour: "This Is the Original Way Families and Communities Used to Share Music Together"

Chuck Ragan returns to Dallas tonight with the fifth annual Revival Tour, and the co-frontman of Hot Water Music will share the stage with Dan Andriano from Alkaline Trio and Tom Gabel from Against Me!, as well as Mississippi songwriter Cory Branan. In the midst of remodeling the bathroom in his Nor ... More >>

The Upside of Rick Perry's Embarrassing Gaffes: Like, Everyone Wants Him to "Adios, Mofo"

​Star-Telegram Washington bureau reporter Maria Recio has a story today asking various Texas politicos how much Governor Rick Perry has embarrassed the Lone Star State. The answers don't vary a lot. If this were a story about fishing, some people would have their hands out about shoulder widt ... More >>

Obama's Home-Brewin' Won't Cut It. So: Five Foodie Ideas To Prop Up the Prez.

​With Oktoberfest and other events coming up, it's High Beer Season, which explains why the White House has been serving up some of his homebrews. But why stop with beer? House-made anything is a worthy endeavor that rewards the laborer with a fresh, interesting product you can serve with a s ... More >>

Filipino Food: At Least One Reason to Envy California

Photos by Kristy YangFilipino-style pigs feet. Yes, you will love them.​(Walk the Wok correspondent Kristy Yang has been taking some very long walks lately, so we thought we'd have her tell us about Asian food elsewhere. Presumably, City of Aters do step out of the In-N-Out line now and then a ... More >>

Tim Byres Brings Cool Summertime Fun to the Supper Club

​Supper Club at The Kessler (presented by City of Ate) returns Wednesday with chef Tim Byres of Smoke. Byres' summer-inspired four-course-meal will be paired with four wines from California-based Wente Vineyards. Austin-based bluegrass/indie act MilkDrive will provide the tunes for party-goers to ... More >>

Meddlesome Moth's Chad Kelley: It's a Joy to Be Simple

Meddlesome Moth's Chad Kelley at work, pairing food with the restaurant's enormous beer collection.​The problem with bars with food is bar food. But Chad Kelley, 34, executive chef at the Meddlesome Moth, has fixed that problem with choices like meat pies, mothballs, venison tartare, arctic ch ... More >>

Should the United States return the Southwest to Mexico?

Please Feed the New Guy: Wherein You Tell Me What to Eat in Order to Feel Like a Texan

The author reacts to the Chick-fil-A sauce selection.​Here's the deal: I'm new in town. I was brought in to slowly turn Richie Whitt into a love-advice columnist. It's going well so far, I think; he hasn't kneed me in the groin since late Tuesday.I've learned over the years that the best way to ge ... More >>

Decanter Means Well, We Just Wish It Did Better

Pomplamoose's DIY Revolution

Tony Romo Golf = Bad Decision?

​Last time we saw Tony Romo in action he was sprawled out on his back October 25 at Cowboys Stadium, victim of a vicious sack that resulted in a broken collar bone. Eventually placed on injured reserve, Romo missed the Cowboys' final 10 games of the disastrous season. Even though he's be ... More >>

A Bueno Brunch At Buena Vista Cafe, Home of Irish Coffee

Photos by Andrea Grimes and Man O' The HourThis is as clear as we could get our packed table for a shot of the Buena Vista Cafe's trademark Irish Coffee.​Generally speaking, I don't recommend visiting restaurants that have attached gift shops if you are over the age of 10. And really, if you're un ... More >>

Tonight, Tonight: Toy Drive at The Libertine, KC Turner at Opening Bell, Dave Semans Combo at Lakewood Bar & Grill and Owen Obel at the Absinthe Lounge

Not the craziest Monday night ever. But, considering that it's Christmas week, there's still a nice selection of musical options this evening -- including a cool touring duo and four dependable local acts.

Homesick Restaurants: How Dallas Became a Dining Nowhereville.

2010 World Series GAME 5 - Giants 3, Rangers 1: My Top 10 Observer-ations

To the victors ... the celebration.​10. Not sure what manager Ron Washington was doing going to closer Neftali Feliz in the 8th inning of a game the Rangers trailed 3-1. If the Rangers had forced extra innings it would've been an interesting mix-'n-match bullpen. Unfortunately, Texas' bats ... More >>

Even Tail-Get Snacks Come With a Cause
for Giants Fans

Do the cured ones cost extra?​How does a Giants fan celebrate the start of the World Series? With a community supported agriculture box, of course. Winning the title for "Game tie-in least likely ever to be seen in Dallas," San Francisco's popular 4505 Meats this week announced it was putting ... More >>

2010 World Series GAME 1 - Giants 11, Rangers 7: My Top 10 Observer-ations

10. Bigger Giants' ass-kicking: New York 41, Cowboys 35 or San Francisco 11, Rangers 7? The football Giants ran off 31 unanswered Monday night in Arlington. The baseball Giants erased an early two-run hole with eight consecutive runs in the middle innings. Either way, ouch. Dare I say toni ... More >>

The Trouble With Texas Pork

Two celebrity chefs are planning to serve pigs from out-of-state at a pair of upcoming dinners celebrating Texas food and small farms. October is National Pork Month.​Craft hasn't made any local food claims for its Whole Pig and Beer dinner on October 27, although a release touting the event poin ... More >>

Q&A Giveaway: The Morning Benders' Chris Chu Explains His Band's Ever-Changing Sound, How To Eat Healthy On The Road And Why He's Jealous of Bon Iver

​Earlier this week, in advance of the Morning Benders's upcoming performance at the Kessler Theatre on Saturday night, we caught up with the Northern California-based band's frontman Chris Chu. His band had just returned from the European leg of their tour, and was preparing to travel the US in s ... More >>

The Go-Go's Cancel Farewell Tour--Which Included An Upcoming Stop at The Granada

​Sad news for those (including me) who were looking forward to catching The Go-Go's at their Granada Theater show on July 26: Seems guitarist Jane Wiedlin took an awful fall that will require surgery. Here's the word straight from the band's website:It is with great regret that the Go-Go's announc ... More >>

As Roky Erickson Preps Brand-New Album, a Federal Lawsuit Over His First Solo Record

​As Pete mentioned a few weeks back, Roky Erickson's got a brand-new album forthcoming -- True Love Cast Out All Evil, due in April and featuring as his backing band Okkervil River. Hard to keep track of Roky's comebacks at this late date, but this one appears ready to stick -- thank God. And yet, ... More >>

There's Nothing Revolutionary About Youth in Revolt

Why One Long-Time 7-Eleven Wasn't Part of Dallas-Based Chain's Growth Strategy

​Dallas-based 7-Eleven's in the midst of a major expansion in Northern California, and, last we looked, the oh-thank-heavens was looking "to accelerate store development over the next several years through organic growth" in the DFW and elsewhere cross the country. (In '08, shortly after the chain ... More >>

Why Can't Mexicans And Salvadorans Just Get Along?

Colm C'iosoig Returns To Dallas With Hope Sandoval

The Dirt Doctor

How radio show host Howard Garrett pushed Dallas to the center of the organic gardening movement through passion, principle and molasses

Tinsel Town Toppings

Tristan Simon expands his empire

Nip and Duck

Street Feed

Houston Street's "creative American" fare has a lot of potential

Ten-Gallon Lasagna

Italian Cowboy's fare ranges from good, to bad, to ugly.

City Slick

City Café isn't sitting on its heels

Lost legends

Tary Owens helped rescue the early roots of Texas music. Then those songs saved Owens from himself.