Soon to be a rather graphic novel: Yehudi Mercado’s story of crime, lust, and pepperoni in Houston’s hot-Rocketing summer of ’94.
Ever order from Turbo Pizza on Buffalo Speedway? Gotta recommend the Meat Madness Big Freak.
Video: Christian Sheridan, Brave/Architecture
Ready, at last, for the small screen: This lingering aerial tour of Houston’s rich natural and nature-processing landscape, straight from last year’s Center for Land Use Interpretation exhibit on Texas Oil.
Put on your headphones, turn up the volume, and take it all in!
Our journey takes us east from the 610 Loop and ends at the liftoff point for the Fred Hartman Bridge at Highway 146. When they gonna come back and give us some Baytown?
Video: CLUI
With cameo appearances at all your favorite ’trose haunts. And yes, somehow, this is a church video.
Video: Awakenings Movement
You’ll have to wait until later in the year before you can see the complete movie, but filmmaker Andrew Garrison has just released these excerpts from his new feature, called “Trash Dance.” The film documents the creation of last September’s performance of The Trash Project, organized by choreographer Allison Orr of Forklift Danceworks and performed by the nimble artists of Austin’s Solid Waste Services Department. (For full effect, we recommend viewing the HD version.)
Video: Andrew Garrison
And now we return once again to Swamplot’s continuing series on love, lust, and Houston’s public spaces. The obelisk of her affection: Hermann Park’s Pioneer Memorial. Next up: A Miniature Choo-Choo Train Named Desire.
Note: Audio possibly NSFW.
Video: sergio
And now our feature presentation: an artists’ video on the Bolivar Peninsula left behind by Hurricane Ike, with commentary from former residents.
Photos: Bert Long. Video: Kelly Klaasmeyer and Bert Long
You know you want to see it: Yesterday’s “controlled demolition” of the hobbled 31-story Ocean Tower condo at the northern end of South Padre Island. Controlled Demolition’s dynamite work took down the tallest reinforced-concrete structure ever to be imploded.
A few more videos below. South Padre sure knows how to party!
Thanks to the reader who passed along this flyover video showing what a fat, happy, and rebuilt Highway 290 will look like as it wraps its newly grown tentacles around Beltway 8. The video comes from TxDOT’s fancy new my290.com website, which attempts to bring to the planned multi-billion-dollar highway widening program the feel-good vibe of a community barnraising. When construction begins in 2011, will we be able to follow the construction workers as they tweet?
The site features current maps and details of the plans for US 290 and the Hempstead Tollway. Notes the reader: “Looks like the NW mall is history, well, at least most of the parking lot.” Here’s a view:
Video: James Blanton
Video: Helsinki Films
Video: Aubin Malassagne; music: Le Comte de Fourques
O Houston: In the ephemeral hurly-burly of daily life it’s often too easy to forget just why we’re here.
Video: Sharad Patel
Found: extrapolated video footage of Houston’s soon-to-be light-rail routes, as viewed from . . . a crop duster. Hang time for the 4 routes shown: 8 minutes and 8 seconds. Your travel time and elevation may vary.
MIA: The University Line.
How old are these renderings, anyway?
Video: Gino Martin
And now, a rare look at the Second Ward’s indigenous Ship Channel dance ceremony, performed along the gentle banks of Buffalo Bayou and celebrating the bountiful fall harvest of crushed concrete.
Video: Freneticore
From Virgil4u (Virgil C. Robinson): RT @swamplot Comment of the Day: Montrose Ain’t Like It Used To Be http://tinyurl.com/y9olcrd
From HoustonPress (Houston Press): No it ain't... RT @swamplot: Comment of the Day: Montrose Ain’t Like It Used To Be http://tinyurl.com/y9olcrdFrom HoustonPress (Houston Press): RT @swamplot: Comment of the Day: Montrose Ain’t Like It Used To Be http://tinyurl.com/y9olcrd
From 1stSatArtMarket (Mitchell Cohen): RT @swamplot: How Much Is That Chaise on the North Freeway? http://tinyurl.com/ybajtnm I know a place where they could sell that!
From htownjenny (Jenny Staff Johnson): @swamplot Having trouble opening your links this week...
From nataliebogan (Natalie Bogan): @swamplot Went to a party there once, the kids playroom would be all the space my plant and I need.. No one would even know I was there!From nataliebogan (Natalie Bogan): @swamplot Such a cozy bungalow! http://swamplot.com/piney-point-village-megamansion-now-10-million-off/2009-09-03/
From aharvey321 (Ashlea H): Hey @swamplot , why can't I see your new posts on your homepage?
From azizgilani (Aziz Gilani): @swamplot the third house just got torn down on my street (lorrie) in 3 months! No one told Knollwood Village about the market slowdown