Texas Monthly October 2021

LOSING OUR RE-LIGION: TEXAS’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL IDENTITY CRISIS Texas’s state bird is the mockingbird, its state food is chili, and its state religion is football. But with the University of Texas headed to the SEC and the Big 12 on life support, Hunter Hampton ruminates on whether we stand to forfeit our centuryold football culture. AN UNFINISHED SCULPTURE SERIES SPARKS CONTROVERSY IN ROCKPORT Steve Russell is planning to install public artworks that, in the celebrated artist’s telling, capture the spirit of the first encounter between Europeans and the region’s Indigenous peoples. But, as Peter Holley reports, whereas Russell sees a tasteful tribute to a simple but profound moment, his critics see a celebration of destruction. TRADITIONAL ITALIAN GELATO HAS ARRIVED IN BLANCO, WITH ONE UNORTHODOX INGREDIENT “A year ago, I was in a boardroom talking…

This magazine has long taken pride in its coverage of everything Texan, from barbecue to bare-knuckle politics. We’re always looking to recruit writers with authority in areas of special relevance to the Lone Star State, including in recent years José Ralat on tacos and Wes Ferguson on hunting and fishing (among other topics). I’m pleased to introduce you to our latest expert hire, Russell Gold, who left the Wall Street Journal in July to join Texas Monthly as a senior editor focused mainly on energy—an industry that is essential to the state’s economy and the livelihood of millions of its residents. Russell is one of the nation’s finest writers about energy from all sources, including oil and gas, wind, solar, and geothermal. For TM, he’ll also cover environmental and electric-grid issues,…

“CREATING PLACES FOR MONEYED HIPSTERS AND, AS A RESULT, LEADING TO THE DEMISE OF MANY OLD STORES IS NOT WORTH CELEBRATING.” Hip Replacement The article “The Return of Liz Lambert” [August 2021] was unabashed sucking up to a destroyer of life as it was known. Yes, the Hotel San José and its neighbor, the Austin Motel, were in need of an overhaul. However, creating places for moneyed hipsters and, as a result, leading to the demise of many old stores is not worth celebrating. Hotel San Cristóbal, in Baja California Sur, is another example of “Do we really need this?” Another high-dollar getaway for moneyed hipsters. Where does it end? ROBERT BLAKE TRITICO, HOUSTON Sound Minds Thanks for the story on Leon Bridges [“Texas Son,” August 2021]. I am an unapologetic Black man with unusual…

With its provocative collection of modern artwork and avant-garde furnishings, El Paso’s Stanton House could be mistaken for a museum. The 42-room boutique hotel, replete with a spa featuring sensory deprivation float tanks, made local headlines for its $300-a-night rooms when it debuted nearly three years ago (rates now start around $200). “We do have some art that’s going to … test people’s preconceptions,” co-owner Miguel Fernandez says as he gives me a sneak peek at a piece that will adorn the new basement speakeasy, slated to open this fall. ¶ Fernandez, who grew up in the area, isn’t the only hotelier with ambitious plans for El Paso. The recent reopenings of the renovated Hotel Paso del Norte and the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park, both historical marvels that fell into…

LE JARDINIER 5500 Main, Houston 713-714-3015 L Wed–Sat. D Tue–Sat. $$$$ Opened May 18, 2021 Leaning in, my friend Tamara whispered to our table of four: “How many of these people do you think have houses in Marfa?” We were at Le Jardinier, the polished new contemporary French restaurant at Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and its plush chairs were filled with folks who appeared to be prosperous, arty, well-traveled types. With hardly a second thought we eliminated the silver-haired couple with turquoise jewelry—they’d prefer Santa Fe. Likewise we dismissed three clearly awestruck women wearing low-heeled shoes—hardworking schoolteachers, we guessed. But, ah, the vaguely European-looking man with slicked-back hair and a forest-green suit—now, he was a possibility. I imagined him taking a private plane to visit his house outside the tiny West Texas town that’s famous…

PARA LLEVAR, MARFA Pizza | The name, Spanish for “takeout,” is apt for this West Texas outpost. Opened just weeks before the pandemic, the self-described bodega and deli was wise to make its “dining room” a tree-shaded courtyard. Wood-fired pizzas are the main thing here, with the occasional sandwich or salad on offer. We chose the Margherita and the smoked chicken and pesto, both of which arrived with high-rise, wood ash–dusted crusts. The house-made tomato sauce on the Margherita was a revelation, but it was the pickled red onions and roasted peppers atop the chicken pie that made that one our favorite. Order the spicy pimento cheese dip with a plain pie crust. Inside find tempting takeaways like prepared meals, pastries, and beer and wine. 113 S. Dean; 512-123-4567; marfaparallevar.com $$ Austin 1417 Mediterranean…