The television Emmy nominations were announced today and for the fourth season in a row Friday Night Lights has not garnered a single nomination in the best drama category. According to the New York Times “Apparently the stigma of being a show about the relatively ordinary lives of Texans obsessed with high school football is still too much to overcome.”

Even still, F.N.L. is one of the best shows on TV and one of Hamilton Shirts all time favorites…THIS TOTALLY SUCKS. Don’t you agree?

Filed under: Televison, Texas by Stephen : 1 Comment »

Straight forward Texas rocker, Alejandro Escovedo has recently released a new album called Street Songs of Love to tons of major acclaim. The New York Times described it as “In another, less fragmented pop era, this would be the album of thoughtful but radio-ready love songs to finally get Mr. Escovedo the big national audience he deserves.” and The Washington Post wrote “Working again with glam-rock producer Tony Visconti, Escovedo proudly wears his musical influences – the Stooges, New York Dolls, all manner of punk – on his sleeve. Filtered through his scuffling yet tender-hearted persona, the result, yet again, is ageless rock-and-roll.”

To make this record Austin based Escovedo worked alongside the legendary rock producer Tony Visconti (Morrissey, Bowie, U2) and and called in friends such as Ian Hunter, and received a helping hand from little known musician named Bruce Springsteen. Alejandro Escovedo has created a classic record totally worth adding to your list of new summer music to check out.

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When the weather hits 90º all I can think about is drinking Sweet Tea. For such a simple beverage – tea, sugar, water – there are about a million different ways to make it. One of my favorites and easiest recipes:

Sweet Tea

• 2 large quart size orange pekoe or black tea bags (or one ounce of loose tea that you can strain)
• 1-2 cups of sugar depending on taste
• 3 cups of water

Heat three cups of water to boiling. Stir in your sugar until the water goes from cloudy to clear. Turn off heat and add tea bags letting them steep in the water for at least 20 minutes. Pour tea, sugar mixture into a large pitcher and add in very cold water to fill.

At this point in the recipe you can let your creativity take over…add ice, sprigs of mint, lemon slices, orange slices, you can even add sliced cucumber (good with iced green tea). Another trick to for you to try…at the tea steeping stage add a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water – it mellows out the tea for a very unique smooth taste.

Filed under: Food & Drink, Texas by Stephen : No Comments »

We figured it was only a matter of time…one of our favorite Texas food bloggers (even though she lives in NYC) who writes the terrific Homesick Texan, has announced today that she has inked a deal with Hyperion to publish her first cookbook!

Hamilton Shirts have been fans of Lisa Fain’s site for a long time – her updated versions of classic Texan recipes always look great – and her stories about the lone star state are always a great read. We have to admit that even though we are regular recipe readers of the blog – we don’t get around to trying them out in the kitchen all that often. The blog is so great looking and her photography is so enticing, that it somehow doesn’t really matter.

We can’t wait until Fall 2011 to get the new book – but to be perfectly honest, with the best intentions…we’ll probably just end up looking at the pictures!

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We can’t wait for the start of the new season of one of our favorite shows – Friday Night Lights.  Check it out- the first episode airs tonight (5/7) on NBC.

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Esquire magazine launched a new blog on 4/1 called Eat Like A Man: Food for Men and they seem to have taken a real shine (with good reason) to Houston restaurant The Rockwood Room. With a menu based on classic fare from the post World War II era, the restaurant serves up dishes like Prime Rib, Lobster Tail, a riff on Oysters Rockefeller, even Fondue. Conjuring up visions of the Rat Pack and martini soaked lunches – you can see why Esquire really digs this place.

Executive Chef/Proprietor Michael Dei Maggi

Esquire also singles out the Rockwoods version of the classic Manhattan cocktail. The magazine claims they make the best one in America..and with three different version on the menu…including one infused with *bacon* we can see why!

I bet these cool cats would have liked this place.

**UPDATE**  We are sad to report that The Rockwood Room has closed back in early June.

The Rockwood Room, 5709 Woodway Drive, Houston, Texas ph. 832.251.3663

Filed under: Food & Drink, Houston, Texas by Stephen : No Comments »

Now Texas Longhorns really have something to celebrate…Playboy Magazine has recently come out with a list of America’s Top Ten Party Schools with the University of Texas scoring the number one position. The much talked about controversial results are tabulated by the magazines staff, with input from campus representatives, models, photographers, online voting, and student readers. One can only imagine what exactly it might take to achieve the top ranking!

Longhorns can be very proud over the fact that they beat out these other formidable party schools:

1. University of Texas at Austin
2. West Virginia University
3. University at Wisconsin – Madison
4. University of Miami
5. East Carolina University
6. Arizona State University
7. Rollins College
8. University of California – Santa Barbara
9. Plymouth State University
10. University of Iowa

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Its not just a hamburger, its a Whataburger! These vintage commercials featuring Country Western singer Mel Tillis are really great – Mel is best known for a having a string of top ten hits during the 70′s – and also a speech impediment that doesn’t affect his singing voice.

via Homesick Texan on facebook.

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Have you seen these amazing videos of the destruction of the (former) home of the Dallas Cowboys – The Texas Stadium?

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A polarizing figure in art, music, and fashion, Malcolm McLaren forever changed how we see and hear pop culture. Reinventing public relations and marketing, he was the first promoter to put style and reputation before talent and ability. After learning how perception and image can influence culture from a clothing store he owned with visionary designer Vivienne Westwood, McLaren went on to create such bands as the Sex Pistols, Adam and the Ants, Bow Wow Wow, and others. By manipulating press and media, McLaren was able to make a band mythic before you had even heard their music.

One of the best and most famous examples is when McLaren booked the Sex Pistols on their first American tour. By having the band appear in venues in the American south (including Texas), the band was guaranteed to perform in front of hostile audiences which would then fuel their public relations fire. The band was infamous before anyone had barely heard a note of music.

Later projects reflected McLarens love of style and culture, from the Westwood designed stage personas of Adam Ant, to the beautiful but scandalously underage Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow. He was a true visionary that helped popularize trends that are still with us now – from vogueing, interest in world music, sampling & scratching, linking fine art to music, all press is good press, utilizing the power of scandal, to multi-media/cross platform promotional ideas.

Bow Wow Wow wearing (or not wearing) Westwood/McLaren new romantic clothing on an early album cover based on the Manet painting “Le déjeuner sur l’herbe”.

Filed under: History, Music, Texas by Stephen : 1 Comment »