March 10, 2014
Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins
As Pak Parno threads his way through the gamelan, he claps his hands to guide the tempo and calls out to beginners who have lost their place in the music. Eyes focus on notes as mallets tap out a lancaran or simple song. The cyclical melody is carried by the metallophones, embellished by the ringing tones of bronze, knobbed kettles. This is punctuated by hanging gongs and led by the beating of the kendhang drum. Repetitive lines pulse on counts of two and four. These crescendo and accelerate before winding down to pause for the strike of the massive gong gede, followed by the musicians’ final note. It is mesmerizing music. Continue reading “The Gamelan Group: All Nationalities, Ages and Motives Welcome”
March 2014
When it comes to lifting a Guinness on Saint Paddy’s Day, everyone flirts with being Irish. And according to the Census, 34.5 million Americans actually call themselves Irish. That’s seven times the population of Ireland. So, Americans are right at home in a pub. The term pub is short for Britain’s public houses, which the working class frequented. These neighborhood watering holes also served meat pies and fish and chips to mop up the beer. It wasn’t fancy, but it was filling. Now with food the star of its own television channel, bar snacks, pub grub and game munchies have received an upgrade. It is still based on traditional eats, yet these reinvented classics boast high quality, inspired ingredients. 
Spring 2014
When Beverly was rescued from a local Houston shelter, she was a brown, matted mess. Poodle Rescue of Houston (PRH) cleaned her up, and two hours later, she looked like a fluffy, cream dream. The non-profit haven assisted 800 distressed and homeless poodles last year alone. “Once we rescue dogs, we rehabilitate them and offer them for adoption to carefully screened families and individuals,” says PRH Executive Director Guinette Peebles. 
Spring 2014