Best Of :: Arts & Entertainment Best Local TV Commercial Commercials on local TV were never supposed to make viewers pause to ponder the profound philosophical questions of life...until Texas Mattress Makers came along. The camera lingers lovingly over mattresses in production at the company's East End factory-showroom, as a disembodied voice asks a few simple questions in a tone that implies he's talking about a lot more than a good night's sleep: "What is a mattress?" "Where does it come from?" "How does it make you feel?" Soothing and sleepy, the narrator's voice barely reaches above a whisper, the exact opposite of Mattress Mack's hyper-caffeinated, high-volume late-night pitches of yore. The Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club You can almost feel the smoke of a different era still hanging in the air at the Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club. On the stage, you'll likely find a full-bodied blues band with a twanging guitar, fierce keys and throaty vocalist who, yes, sounds like he may have just smoked a pack.
Not a single wall, table or tile is without chipped paint in this dark joint. Old photos and posters of Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Dr. John leave little room for white space anyway. And in the center of it all are a few middle-aged couples dancing and twirling around so impressively in front of the stage that if you're young and single you think, "Life goals," and if you're old and married you think, "Why can't I do that?" This isn't a place where you go to gab — there's simply too much to absorb. READERS' CHOICE: The Continental Club 5731 Kirby, Houston, 77005 Best Place to See an Intimate Concert The lack of interior space at Satellite Bar isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially because it means you get a good, close-up look at the local and national acts taking the stage. This East End venue is the best place in town for experiencing a show right in your face, whether you like hardcore punk rock, electronic dance music or stand-up comedy. And there's a big backyard if you need to take a break for some air.
6922 Harrisburg, Houston, 77011 "Contingent Beauty: Contemporary Art from Latin America" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Mari Carmen Ramírez is on fire, leading the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in relentless pursuit of the best and brightest modern and contemporary art from Central and South America. Ramírez, the Wortham Curator of Latin American Art and director of the International Center for the Arts of the Americas, has a keen eye, and the museum's "Contingent Beauty" exhibit was an edgy showstopper with themes of poverty, political oppression and violence. We saw exciting installations, like the starfish-studded Woven Water: Submarine Landscape by María Fernanda Cardoso; the minimalist Stress (in memoriam) by Yoan Capote (incorporating thousands of human teeth); and Óscar Muñoz's video projection chronicling the desaparecidos. Both cerebral and beautiful, it was the sort of exhibit that stays in your mind long after it closes. 1001 Bissonnet St., Houston, 77005
In its first year, Satellite Bar has already built a reputation for putting on shows that don't disappoint. The dark dive hosts mostly local and Texas bands, serving up everything from funky space rock to shoe-gazing fuzz. The small stage is tucked into the corner across from the bar, which offers an extensive selection of craft beers from breweries across the country. But the real draw at Satellite is its huge backyard: There are fire pits, tables and festive lighting, and every now and then, management sets up an outdoor stage. Satellite is exactly where you want to be on one of those clear, sweater-weather nights. READERS' CHOICE: House of Blues Best Art for Kids The Mad Potter's owner, Meredith McCord, battled dyslexia as a child, and she discovered that art was more than just a pretty distraction — it could actually facilitate communication. But your kiddos needn't concern themselves with that: All they need to know is that they'll get to choose from hundreds of different plates, bowls, mugs, figurines, whatchamacallits and knick-knacks, and then go to town with various and sundry paintbrushes to create their very own pottery.
After three or four days that involve magic and fire, your miniature Michelangelo can return to see the piece in its final form. McCord says the process gives budding artists a real sense of accomplishment. It's also a great idea for birthdays. 1963 W. Gray, Houston, Best Local TV Commercial: Texas Mattress MakersHouston furniture store owner Mattress Mack loses $10 million on election night betAround $10 million in mattress sales will be refunded Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale participates in a remote control race while cheered by Sister Kim Tran, CCVI, before rolling out in the 10th Annual Nun Run that benefits the Christus Foundation on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, in Houston. Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale participates in a remote control race while cheered by Sister Kim Tran, CCVI, before rolling out in the 10th Annual Nun Run that benefits the Christus Foundation on Saturday, Oct. ... more See the interesting interesting lengths that Houston businesses have gone to attract customers...
Lynn Jasso, dressed as a chicken to advertise a downtown barbecue restaurant, mingles with pedestrian traffic as she crosses San Jacinto at Preston in May 1987. See the interesting interesting lengths that Houston businesses have gone to attract customers... Lynn Jasso, dressed as a chicken to advertise a downtown barbecue restaurant, mingles with pedestrian traffic as ... more Jack Massing, on top of the billboard, fellow Art Guy, Michael Galbreth, below celebrate finishing the last of 1,000 coat of paint on their latest art project, The Absolut Art Guys 1,000 coats of paint billboard on the West Loop....Friday, afternoon...photo/Karen Warren less Jack Massing, on top of the billboard, fellow Art Guy, Michael Galbreth, below celebrate finishing the last of 1,000 coat of paint on their latest art project, The Absolut Art Guys 1,000 coats of paint ... moreFrom the Nov. 22, 1976, Chronicle: Car salesman Art Grindle was known for his TV advertising antics in the 1960s.
He's still plying his trade in Florida. A large working out balloon is seen on the roof of a fitness equipment store on the Katy Freeway access road near I-10 and Beltway 8 on Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, in Houston. The city wanted to ban the giant inflatable gorillas, blow-up muscle men and other whirling, streaming ``attention getting devices'' used outdoors and on roofs to promote sales through visual attention. The city wanted to ban the giant ... more Stephen Zimmerman owner of LaColombre D'Or hotel and restaurant is offered a hotel suite for the price of a barrel of oil shown in the Cezanne suite Tuesday, June 17, 2008, in Houston. The deal for $140 was called the Oil Barrel Suite Sweet Special. In 1986, he offered a four-course lunch for the cost a barrel of oil. The cost was nine dollars. ( Melissa Phillip / Chronicle ) lessThe deal for $140 was ... more In early May the owner of Houston's Gallery Furniture chain made Houston shoppers an offer that they couldn’t refuse: betting on the 2016 presidential election's outcome.
Now, in the wake of President-Elect Donald Trump’s big win, a few thousand customers are sitting pretty. ELECTION 2016: Social media weighs in on President Trump Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, no stranger to living dangerously when it comes to making unique bets, told shoppers that if they purchased a mattress set priced at $2,000 or higher and chose a winning political party – Democrat or Republican – they could get their money back or receive even more money back in store credit. “If the party you pick wins this coming November 2016, you have the option to receive a 100 (percent) refund on your mattress set purchase, making it FREE or 150 (percent) of your purchase price value in the form of a Gallery Furniture gift certificate to used towards your next purchase,” read the rules of the contest. checked back in with McIngvale this morning as his North Freeway store opened and a nation was recovering from a long night of watching election returns. SAVE YOU MONEY: 10 things you may not know about Jim McIngvale
According to the furniture magnate, some 4,000 people stand to get their money back after Trump’s defeat of Hillary Clinton, to the tune of $10 million. “A lot of the Rs hedged and put down D saying that they would be happy the night of the election,” McIngvale says. Those that picked D for a Democratic win spent about $13 million. To celebrate the refunds, Gallery Furniture is throwing a party on Dec. 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the North Freeway location complete food and drinks for customers. For some, getting an extra financial windfall that close to the holidays should be a blessing. Back in 2014 McIngvale made a Super Bowl bet that if customers were to spend at least $6,000 in his store and if the team they picked -- either the Seattle Seahawks or the Denver Broncos -- won the big game, they would get a full refund. As football fans know, the Hawks beat the Denver Broncos handily 43-8. Quarterback Russell Wilson and company came through for a whole lot of people.
McIngvale later paid out some $7 million to customers. TRUMP'S WIN: Donald Trump's first tweet after winning election recognizes 'forgotten man and woman' A bet later that year that the Houston Astros would win 63 games or more saw him refund more than $4.2 million dollars to 420 customers. He fulfilled a promise to reimburse the first 500 customers who spent more than $6,300 at his store if the Astros won 63 games. The promotion was partly tied to McIngvale's 63rd birthday that year. The Astros won 70 games. In 2015 he made a similar bet on the price of oil, wagering it would hit $85 a barrel and, well, that didn’t happen. He lost a chunk of change on his end. Meanwhile McIngvale seems happy that this tiring presidential election is over and is optimistic that the country can take its next steps. “My concern is jobs for Americans and I think it’s great we’re moving forward,” McIngvale says. “Now we can mend the fences and get more people back to work.”