Just one month ago, Houstonist asked the question: "Where's the free wi-fi?" We finally have our answer. On August 19th, the city of Houston announced that they'd created a large cluster of free wi-fi locations throughout the dowtown area, both in an effort to provide the free wireless access that has been long-promised by Mayor White's administration and to promote the continuing revitalization of downtown as a destination to work, live and play. They've even......

The Houston Press has once again announced their 2008 nominees for the highly-anticipated Houston Press Music Awards. It's not too late to vote for your favorite band, performer, album, underground rapper, drummer, zydeco outfit, tribute band or any number of exciting music geek categories. Just remember that voting ends tomorrow, July 27th. Of course, if you've already voted and want to take in a Sunday afternoon that's fit to bursting with local musical talent, then......

Houstonist missed the grand reopening of the Houston Public Library Central Branch in early June, but we're OK with that. Who wants to explore a library mobbed with people anyway? Instead, we decided to check out the renovation on a lazy Saturday in mid-July after all the brouhaha settled. One thing is certain: those new floors sure are bright. We liked the cheeriness of it, though, and overall the Central Branch feels more like......

Oy, Monty Python fans! It's not too late to catch everyone's favorite member of the troupe, Eric Idle, as he performs with the Houston Symphony tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. in an "adaptation" of the classic religious spoof film, The Life of Brian. The hugely-popular hour-long show, Not The Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy), kicks off its American tour in Houston. Here's a bragging point for you: Houston is one of only......

Can't decide what to do for the Fourth of July and upcoming three-day weekend? Don't know which Independence Day scene is quite right for you? Don't worry, patriots: Houstonist is here to help. Freedom Over Texas For the traditionalist in you, the City of Houston will hold its annual Freedom Over Texas event at Eleanor Tinsley Park in downtown. Sponsored by Chevy, you can all but count on the attendance of truck-owners and NASCAR fans.......

As if you needed another reason to head down to Discovery Green this weekend, here's one more: Dock Dogs! Yes, the time-honored "dog performance sport" of leaping off docks and catching crazy air will be going on all weekend at the downtown park. If you thought the Lumberjack Games were the most ludicrous yet highly entertaining sport you've ever seen, then you haven't witnessed the majesty of Dock Jumping. In this sport, dogs of all......

Forty musicians performed the entire Sgt. Peppers album by The Beatles at Discovery Green, downtown’s newest park. The park was packed and people filled the hill and sat all the way up to the stage! The show started with a few random Beatles tunes, including Across The Universe complete with tabla and sitar. The group then launched into the featured performance and it was a magical event. After they played the entire album, the......

Ever since the old Byrd's Department Store building at Main and Prairie was restored as lofts, we've wanted to live there. Even though we have some reservations about the noise level, especially after Carol Alvarado said her Rice Lofts windows sometimes shake with noise from the downtown clubs, we still love the little building's Art Deco exterior, huge windows, prime location and roof deck. So, naturally, we're excited to note that there's a second-floor......

:: FOTOFEST BIENNIAL :: Fotofest starts tomorrow and continues until April 20th. Houston will be covered inside out with some amazing photography and photo-related art, and we heartily encourage you to see as much as you can. The theme this year is China and the ancillary theme (like minoring in college?) is transformations. Get a preview of the outstanding work on show here. Start tomorrow with the opening over at official HQ: the Vine......

Photo of the day by...

Houstonist has an active and amazing Flickr photo group. We receive many, many photos of Houston and the surrounding areas every day and unless you are an active visitor to our photo pool many of these photos go unnoticed. So in a weekly effort to bring you more amazing photos from Houstonist readers and photographers, we are going to feature a block of photos submitted to our Flickr photo group. The images will be dug......

Photos from our 2008 Light Rail Pub Crawl...

Houstonist has an active and amazing Flickr photo group. We receive many, many photos of Houston and the surrounding areas every day and unless you are an active visitor to our photo pool many of these photos go unnoticed. So in a weekly effort to bring you more amazing photos from Houstonist readers and photographers, we are going to feature a block of photos submitted to our Flickr photo group. The images will be dug......

Houstonist has an active and amazing Flickr photo group. We receive many, many photos of Houston and the surrounding areas every day and unless you are an active visitor to our photo pool many of these photos go unnoticed. So in a weekly effort to bring you more amazing photos from Houstonist readers and photographers, we are going to feature a block of photos submitted to our Flickr photo group. The images will be dug......

Downtown Skyline B&W by photobyronnie ________________________________________________________________ If you have a passion for Houston and photography, consider joining a whole bunch of Houston's best photographers in the Houstonist Flickr Photo Group. If Houstonist uses your photo for Photo Of The Day, submit it here and for more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.......

• Is Houston the only city in the U.S. with two competing Martin Luther King Day parades? The downtown parade starts at 10 a.m. while the second parade on Allen Parkway parade starts at noon. • A Houston couple want a state representative tested for STD's after they claim the woman was forcibly kissed by the legislator. • Three people were killed in three separate accidents over the weekend. • A prison inmate of......

Houstonist Flickr photo contributor espngo got up early this morning to witness the implosion of the Montagu Hotel, formerly the Hotel Cotton, which was built in 1913. Cherry Demolition was contracted to implode the building to make room for a new 46-story building dubbed The Pipe Wrench. Here's a video of the implosion from LiveLeak.......

Downtown Framed by andromeda8236 ________________________________________________________________ If you have a passion for Houston and photography, consider joining a whole bunch of Houston's best photographers in the Houstonist Flickr Photo Group. If Houstonist uses your photo for Photo Of The Day, submit it here and for more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.......

From local Houston headlines, we bring you these weekend news bits... • Seven people are in custody after a SWAT standoff on Saturday in southeast Houston. • Five people were injured Saturday morning when a police chase ended in a wreck near downtown. • Traveon LeBlanc was laid to rest on Saturday with hundreds in attendance. Traveon was the 12 year old who was killed after attempting to run across the Gulf Freeway. •......

Downtown Houston Skateboarder by espngo ________________________________________________________________ If you have a passion for Houston and photography, consider joining over 470 of Houston's best photographers in the Houstonist Flickr Photo Group. If Houstonist uses your photo for Photo Of The Day, submit it here.......

So you've done enough shopping and the relatives are driving you crazy -- take an hour away from that insanity and go see some extremely fresh theater. In a Jar...at the Smithsonian, written and directed by Crystal Jackson, is running Thursday through Saturday at DiverseWorks. Six pieces of absurdist comedy (3 monologues, 3 one-acts) and none of them have to do with Santa, reindeer, chimneys, dreidels, or caroling -- thank God! In a Jar...at the......

Houstonist has an active and amazing Flickr photo group. We receive many, many photos of Houston and the surrounding areas every day and unless you are an active visitor to our photo pool many of these photos go unnoticed. So in a weekly effort to bring you more amazing photos from Houstonist readers and photographers, we are going to feature a block of photos submitted to our Flickr photo group. The images will be dug......

Houstonist has an active and amazing Flickr photo group. We receive many, many photos of Houston and the surrounding areas every day and unless you are an active visitor to our photo pool many of these photos go unnoticed. So in a weekly effort to bring you more amazing photos from Houstonist readers and photographers, we are going to feature a block of photos submitted to our Flickr photo group. The images will be dug......

Houstonist doesn't need an excuse for a party, but last night we had one: our second birthday. We got together with our readers and friends at Monsoon Wok downtown for a few drinks, a bit to nibble on and some amazing cake from The Acadian Bakers. Thanks to everyone who helped put the party together, and especially to everyone who showed up. By the way, we noticed a few of you taking photos. If......

::Nights on Blue Bayou: DeKam vs Nalepa:: We know, we know. You're ALL gonna be at the Houstonist 2nd Burfday Happy Hour tonight at Monsoon. So why should we bother even telling you what else there is to do tonight? Why? Because, well, you gotta have somewhere to stumble to when our tab runs out. A spectacle beneath the bridges of the Sabine Promenade on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou, this environmental light and......

Good morning, Houston. Hey, guess who's having a birthday today? Well, OK, it's technically not Houstonist — our second birthday was back on Nov. 20, but we figured that if the queen can have two birthdays, so can we. And so we're throwing ourselves a little birthday party tonight, and you're all invited. It starts at 6 p.m. at Monsoon Wok, Lamar at San Jacinto (yes, street parking is free downtown after 6). Six......

"Houstonist. What do you want?" ... "Oh, hey. What up?" ... "Hell, yeah. Our birthday party is tomorrow night!" ... "Tomorrow night at 6. Downtown." ... "AT MONSOON WOK. Thought you said you read the first post?" ... "You'd better show up or we'll beat your ass." ... "Love you, too." Houstonist Birthday Party 6 PM on Thursday, December 6th Monsoon Wok (McKinney @ San Jacinto) --- Photo: flickr user princessrica.......

Good morning, Houston. We remember our days as student drivers — not bad overall, though we did have a pregnant in-car instructor who had a nasty habit of slamming on the brakes every time we passed a doughnut shop. Still, we didn't have it anywhere near as bad as the kid who passed his driver's test Monday, then crashed his car into the side of a Houston DPS office. The driver was parking his......

Houstonist has an active and amazing Flickr photo group. We receive many, many photos of Houston and the surrounding areas every day and unless you are an active visitor to our photo pool many of these photos go unnoticed. So in a weekly effort to bring you more amazing photos from Houstonist readers and photographers, we are going to feature a block of photos submitted to our Flickr photo group. The images will be dug......

The Dynamo are in a quandry. On the heels of winning their second consecutive MLS Cup, they're at the center of a dispute with the MLS. The Orange are owned by AEG, an entertainment conglomerate owned by Phil Anschutz. AEG used to own close to half of the teams in MLS, but are now down to just our all-conquering hometown boys, and the pretty boy-signing LA Galaxy. The MLS is ready for AEG to shed......