Dish-Houston

85 is starting out to be a big year for famed sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Having a years long friendship with MFAH director, Gary Tinterow, she was his second guest for his new series Conversations with the Director.  The tiny therapist (4'7") with the big voice popped out onto the stage with guidance but lifted herself into her chair with ease and from then on spoke and gestured with the alacrity and energy we all know and love. The talk was about an hour long with Dr. Ruth and Mr. Tinterow going through sex in art through the decades. There is a lot of it, after all and she is the expert and even authored the book The Art of Arousal: A Celebration of Erotic Art throughout History. Westheimer kept the audience inthralled and laughing as she gave her interpretations of what was happening in some of the pieces ranging from Manet to Picasso with Tinterow sharing the historical facts. Sometimes they differed but Dr. Ruth always held her ground, especially when discussing when a woman was clearly not looking satisfied. 

She shared some interesting facts about herself before the art talk began including the that she escaped Nazi Germany when she was a child and lived in an orphanage in Switzerland from the ages of 11 through 17. She then moved to British Mandate of Palestine where she was trained as a sniper. This is the place in her story where she told the audience not to mess with her because she can still put 5 bullets through the head circle and held up her hand in the "OK" sign. Tinterow wasted no time getting the talk underway and the pair capruted the audience and held them at their mercy for the hour. 

It was then time for the birthday celebration!! The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) welcomed the reading of a proclamation from Mayor Annise Parker’s office that declared June 4 as “Dr. Ruth Westheimer Day” in Houston and renamed for the day Farm to Market Road 1093 “Westheimer,” after the internationally known authority on human sociology and sexuality. Presented by City Council Member Melissa Noriega, an excerpt from Mayor Parker’s statement reads,

“Her writings, lectures and quick wittedness have informed and inspired several generations. Her boldness on topics once considered taboo have helped advance attitudes about sexuality, health and relationships. Dr. Westheimer’s great sense of humor helps us all believe that life should be exciting and as fun as we make it.”

Following the program, Dr. Ruth joined guests at a reception where she received a birthday cake and signed books.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Ruth’s 85th birthday and commemorate her achievements,” said Gary Tinterow, MFAH director. “As a longtime friend and colleague, I am pleased to welcome her to Houston from New York. Her appearance at the Museum and the mayor’s proclamation was a delight for all.” 

Conversations with the Director is a new public program at the MFAH that brings an eclectic mix of cultural figures to the Museum.

Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee, donuts and baked goods announced that it will be honoring National Donut Day, celebrated this year on Friday, June 7, with a sweet offer to make the holiday extra special and fun. On June 7,participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide will offer guests a free donut of their choice (while supplies last) with the purchase of any beverage. This special donut offer is also available to Dunkin’ Donuts guests in 31 countries across the globe, marking the brand’s first-ever worldwide donut celebration. 

            Donut lovers have other reasons to look forward to June at Dunkin’ Donuts, as the brand today also unveiled new Summer Fruit Donuts to celebrate the season.  Dunkin’ Donuts’ new Summer Fruit Donuts are available in two fun fruiit flavors: Lemonade, featuring a yeast shell filled with lemon flavored filling, frosted with white icing, and topped with lemonade bark; and Key Lime, featuring a yeast shell, filled with key lime flavored filling, frosted with white icing and finished with a graham cracker topping. Both new donuts are available through August at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide, beginning June 3.

            National Donut Day, celebrated on the first Friday of June each year, was originally established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to honor women who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. According to John Costello, President, Global Marketing and Innovation at Dunkin’ Brands, it’s the perfect day to celebrate the joy that donuts bring to people each and every day.

“Perhaps more than any other treat, donuts bring smiles to people’s faces and make any moment in a busy day much sweeter. As the country’s donut leader, we’re proud to once again help people celebrate National Donut Day by enjoying a free donut at Dunkin’ Donuts with the purchase of any beverage,” he said

Dunkin’ lovers in the greater Houston area have even more to celebrate! In addition to the two new recently opened Dunkin’ Donuts – one in Missouri City, near Sienna Plantation, and the other in the Westchase District on Westheimer – Dunkin’ Donuts will be opening four more locations later this summer. DISH will be dishing the details on each of those when the official dates are released.

·         2330 South Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX  77019

·         18315 West Lake Houston Parkway, Humble, TX  77346

·         3950 South Terminal Road, Terminal E, George Bush IAH, Houston, TX  77032

·         4130 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, TX 77504

Dunkin’ Donuts Historical Facts

• ·        The price of a Dunkin’ Donut in 1950 was 5 cents
• ·        MUNCHKINS® donut hole treats were first served at Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in 1972
• ·        Dunkin’ Donuts unveiled its first-ever heart-shaped donut in 2011
• ·        Dunkin’ Donuts unveiled its first-ever star-shaped donut in 2011 with the Captain America Donut

Donut Facts

• ·        Dunkin’ Donuts sells more than 70 varieties of donuts
• ·        Dunkin’ Donuts sells more than 2.4 billion donuts and MUNCHKINS® donut hole treats every year
• ·        The top 3 selling donuts are Glazed Donut, Chocolate Glazed Cake Donut and Boston Kreme Donut
• ·        Dunkin’ Donuts has an actual job title of “Manager of Donut Excellence.” Rick Golden is Dunkin’ Donuts Manager of Donut Excellence.

Donut Facts for Special Occasions

• ·        To celebrate the TODAY show’s 60^th anniversary, Dunkin’ Donuts created a TODAY donut (a yeast ring donut, topped with vanilla icing and TODAY-colored sprinkles in a red, orange and yellow mix) and a three foot tall cake, made entirely of special TODAY Donuts and Munchkins donut hole treats.
• ·        To celebrate the Royal Wedding and the Royal Couple, Dunkin’ Donuts created a special Royal Wedding Donut, a heart-shaped donut filled with jelly to signify the love between the couple, topped with white frosting as a nod to Kate’s white wedding gown and the chocolate drizzle was included in celebration of William’s love for chocolate.

Boston Kreme Donut Facts

• ·        Boston Kreme is one of Dunkin’ Donuts’ top-selling donuts
• ·        Boston Kreme was named the official donut of the Commonwealth of MA Senate and House of Representatives in 2003
• ·        Participating Dunkin’ Donuts have also sold Boston Kreme Munchkins and Boston Kreme Muffins
• ·        Each year for Halloween, the Boston Kreme Donut gets a festive drizzle of orange icing and becomes the Boston Scream Donut

Yet another closing announcement hit the email inbox of Houston area publishers today. River Oaks beloved Taco Milagro is officially closing it's doors. The last day of business will be Sunday, May 26, 2013. 

The blue diner style letters and huge patio have been a staple of the inner loop casual restaurant scene at Kirby Drive & Westheimer Road for over 15 years. 

It is sad that there is a list of closings as of late, just this year alone we've lost the original Cafe Adobe location at Westheimer and Shepherd, Marfreless in the River Oaks Shopping Center, Blanco's near Richmond and now Taco Milagro. Thankfully Cafe Adobe has other locations so we can still participate in it's kitschy decor and over the top frozen margarita and it looks like, according to Candice Schiller, one of the partners with Schiller Del Grande Restaurant Group, which owns and operats Taco Milagro, it will have another life somewhere else.

“A lot has happened to Kirby in the past decade,” said Schiller . “It has become a street of upscale restaurants; most of them well financed multi-unit groups. Our little counter service taco shop can’t pay those kinds of rents. We are however – looking for a new version of Taco Milagro somewhere a bit further out.” 

What it boils down to is greed. People are developing Houston right out of Houston. A city is not interesting unless it has it's little spots where the locals hang out. With 4 of those gone this year alone we are quickly losing our personality as a sleepy little town, which true Houstonian are and prefer to be. It is really ok to push out the Mom and Pops by using high rent as the weapon just for a dollar now? Are Houston's inhabitants really that sheepish that they will go to whatever is in front of them? Kenneally's has it right, owner John Flower's owns the property and can't be pushed out by high rents. He understands Houston needs it's sleepy little places where the locals love to go.

Gustavo Torres, who has run Taco Milagro for 8 of those 15 years said,

“I’d like to personally invite all of the many customers I’ve come to know over the years to stop by for a final margarita on the patio. I’ll be here till the end, and thanks.”

Thanks, Gustavo. We'll see you there. 

Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

Photo Credit Marianne Rafter

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, an internationally known authority on human sociology and sexuality and author of the book The Art of Arousal: A Celebration of Erotic Art throughout History, will be in conversation with MFAH director Gary Tinterow on the evening of Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 6:30 with a reception will follow the conversation. This discussion marks the second in the series Conversations with the Director, a new public program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, that brings an eclectic mix of cultural figures to the Museum’s Brown Auditorium three times a year. 

Tickets for the Conversations with the Director series are $15 for students, $25 for MFAH members and $35 for the general public. Tickets for the June 4 event with Dr. Ruth Westheimer are available online www.mfah.org by phone at 713.639.7771; or at any MFAH admissions desk.

On April 23, the Conversations with the Director series launched with a conversation between MFAH director Gary Tinterow and artist Jeff Koons. Additional guests for the series will be announced later in the year. The series is presented by Louis Vuitton. 

This series is presented by Louis Vuitton. A symbol of elegance and style throughout the world, Louis Vuitton has cultivated a close relationship with the world of art since its founding in 1854. Consistent with the creativity and craftsmanship that have inspired the brand, Louis Vuitton is dedicated to sharing its creative passion in each community it serves.

No doubt you've heard of the Turrell Skyspace on the Rice University Campus. It has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of Houstonians at dawn and sunset showing us a new way to watch the sun's transformation. 

James Turrell Skyspace, Rice University Campus

There is a new instilation coming from this amazing light master to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The exhibition is called James Turrell: The Light Inside.

James Turrell: The Light Inside explores the remarkable career of James Turrell (b. 1943), a pioneer in the Light and Space movement that transformed the landscape of American Art.  Open to the public June 9 through September 22, 2013, this monumental presentation fills the Museum’s 22,000-square-foot Brown Pavilion and features seven of Turrell's immersive light environments, ranging from his first projections of the late 1960s to his most recent Tall Glass series of 2010–13. Also on view are three major print portfolios and documentation of the evolution of Roden Crater, Turrell's life work in the Arizona desert. Drawn from the Museum's unparalleled collection, the exhibition takes its title from The Light Inside, commissioned by the Museum in 1999 as a permanent installation for The Wilson Tunnel. James Turrell: The Light Inside is part of a nationwide celebration of Turrell’s work and was conceived in conjunction with simultaneous exhibitions mounted over the summer of 2013 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

James Turrell, End Around: Ganzfeld, 2006, neon and fluorescent light, (2007 installation at Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, CA. © James Turrell / Photography © Florian Holzherr

This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York.

The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Isabel B. Wilson, Chairman Emeritus of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.