Texas Monthly
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Texas news, politics, food, culture, travel, yee-haw, and more since 1973. 🤠
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The newest issue of Texas Monthly, wrapping up 2025 with our Best Things in Texas, is our holiday gift to you. 🎁
Peek inside for where to travel, what to listen to, what to watch, and moments that made us proud to be Texans: https://www.texasmonthly.com/interactive/best-things-in-texas/
Peek inside for where to travel, what to listen to, what to watch, and moments that made us proud to be Texans: https://www.texasmonthly.com/interactive/best-things-in-texas/
In today's word wrangler, search for ten songs recorded by Texan George Strait. 🎶 https://www.texasmonthly.com/games/word-wrangler-january-5-2026/
Word Wrangler: January 5, 2026
Ten songs recorded by Texan George Strait.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:46 PM
In today's word wrangler, search for ten songs recorded by Texan George Strait. 🎶 https://www.texasmonthly.com/games/word-wrangler-january-5-2026/
Palmaïa, an all-inclusive wellness retreat outside Playa del Carmen, promised me I’d achieve the “best version” of myself. I was skeptical. Then I learned to let go. https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/palmaia-wellness-resort-mexico/
www.texasmonthly.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Palmaïa, an all-inclusive wellness retreat outside Playa del Carmen, promised me I’d achieve the “best version” of myself. I was skeptical. Then I learned to let go. https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/palmaia-wellness-resort-mexico/
In episode eight of 'Landman,' bets are placed at the casino, at the strip club, and in the drilling game.
Our recap: https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/landman-season-2-episode-8-recap/
Our recap: https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/landman-season-2-episode-8-recap/
www.texasmonthly.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:05 PM
In episode eight of 'Landman,' bets are placed at the casino, at the strip club, and in the drilling game.
Our recap: https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/landman-season-2-episode-8-recap/
Our recap: https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/landman-season-2-episode-8-recap/
In chapter eleven of 'The Bowie Knife That Killed Dracula,' the powerful American vampire travels by mystical means to Transylvania, where he encounters his European counterpart. https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/the-bowie-knife-that-killed-dracula-chapter-11/
www.texasmonthly.com
January 3, 2026 at 11:05 AM
In chapter eleven of 'The Bowie Knife That Killed Dracula,' the powerful American vampire travels by mystical means to Transylvania, where he encounters his European counterpart. https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/the-bowie-knife-that-killed-dracula-chapter-11/
Nothing like some oysters to bring in the new year! 🦪✨ https://www.texasmonthly.com/recipe/broiled-spicy-bacon-oysters/
Don’t Be Intimidated by Making Oysters. We’ll Show You How.
They’re easier to shuck and prepare than you might think, and they become transcendent with jalapeño, bacon, and cotija.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Nothing like some oysters to bring in the new year! 🦪✨ https://www.texasmonthly.com/recipe/broiled-spicy-bacon-oysters/
In today's word wrangler, search for some of the Texan individuals and entities who really messed up in 2025. 👀 https://www.texasmonthly.com/games/word-wrangler-january-2-2026/
Word Wrangler: January 2, 2026
Some of the Texan individuals and entities who really messed up in 2025.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:45 PM
In today's word wrangler, search for some of the Texan individuals and entities who really messed up in 2025. 👀 https://www.texasmonthly.com/games/word-wrangler-january-2-2026/
Reposted by Texas Monthly
Per early estimates, 52% of the vegetation along the Guadalupe was lost after the July flood, including countless centuries-old bald cypress trees. I spent some time with those working to restore the ecosystem and helping locals make sense of the ecological loss: www.texasmonthly.com/travel/repla...
Inside an Ambitious Plan to Replant 50,000 Trees Along the Flood-Ravaged Guadalupe
Local botanists are doing their part to help the river heal.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Per early estimates, 52% of the vegetation along the Guadalupe was lost after the July flood, including countless centuries-old bald cypress trees. I spent some time with those working to restore the ecosystem and helping locals make sense of the ecological loss: www.texasmonthly.com/travel/repla...
A hypnotherapist from Austin and a farmer from Olton had a vision.
They now own sixteen acres in Glenrio (population: one). https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/glenrio-texas-route-66-ghost-town-revival/
They now own sixteen acres in Glenrio (population: one). https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/glenrio-texas-route-66-ghost-town-revival/
How Shrooms and a Dating App Inspired the Revival of a Route 66 Ghost Town
A hypnotherapist from Austin and a farmer from Olton had a vision. They now own sixteen acres in Glenrio (population: one).
www.texasmonthly.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:07 PM
A hypnotherapist from Austin and a farmer from Olton had a vision.
They now own sixteen acres in Glenrio (population: one). https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/glenrio-texas-route-66-ghost-town-revival/
They now own sixteen acres in Glenrio (population: one). https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/glenrio-texas-route-66-ghost-town-revival/
“Honestly, Chinese and Mexican flavors work better together than people think. Both use heat, spices, fresh herbs, and strong, comforting flavors. When we try new combinations in the kitchen, it doesn’t feel strange—it feels natural," says owner Wayne Ao.
Chinese-Mexican Food Has Been Around for Centuries. A New Restaurant Is Introducing It to Texas.
Birria soup dumplings and orange-chicken burritos are just some of the fusion foods you can expect at Dallas’s Dragon Casa.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:00 AM
“Honestly, Chinese and Mexican flavors work better together than people think. Both use heat, spices, fresh herbs, and strong, comforting flavors. When we try new combinations in the kitchen, it doesn’t feel strange—it feels natural," says owner Wayne Ao.
Remember 2025? The year as Texas Monthly photographers saw it:
Our Favorite Photos of the Year
In 2025, Texas Monthly photographers traversed just about every acre of our state, capturing beauty, tragedy, and even Glen Powell on the way.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 1, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Remember 2025? The year as Texas Monthly photographers saw it:
Is the key to winning high school football slowing down the game? Some Texas coaches think it's worth a shot.
One Group of High School Football Coaches Thinks They’ve Found the Key to Winning
At some small-town Texas high schools, the running game—with some twists—is making a comeback.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 1, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Is the key to winning high school football slowing down the game? Some Texas coaches think it's worth a shot.
Data centers are thirsty for water. High-end chips run hot, and they require liquid cooling; the largest state-of-the art data centers require millions of gallons of water to keep their electronics happy.
In a place like Webb County, every drop of this water is precious.
In a place like Webb County, every drop of this water is precious.
AI Data Centers Are Taking Texas Resources. Residents Without Reliable Water Are Sounding the Alarm.
The massive facilities in the state are projected to consume 49 billion gallons of water this year alone.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 1, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Data centers are thirsty for water. High-end chips run hot, and they require liquid cooling; the largest state-of-the art data centers require millions of gallons of water to keep their electronics happy.
In a place like Webb County, every drop of this water is precious.
In a place like Webb County, every drop of this water is precious.
“Just sitting there complaining, it’s not going to do anything. Let’s put some feet on the pavement. Let’s raise some concern. Let’s bring attention to it.”
One man hopes to pressure H-E-B to come to his southern Dallas neighborhood, which lacks convenient access to a grocery store.
One man hopes to pressure H-E-B to come to his southern Dallas neighborhood, which lacks convenient access to a grocery store.
A Dallas Man Is Spending His Own Money to Bring H-E-B to the Neighborhood
His Oak Cliff home sits in a food desert, a fact he’s imploring the grocery chain to help address as it expands in North Texas.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM
“Just sitting there complaining, it’s not going to do anything. Let’s put some feet on the pavement. Let’s raise some concern. Let’s bring attention to it.”
One man hopes to pressure H-E-B to come to his southern Dallas neighborhood, which lacks convenient access to a grocery store.
One man hopes to pressure H-E-B to come to his southern Dallas neighborhood, which lacks convenient access to a grocery store.
Rich Brotherton has always found a way to make music—to improvise, to do whatever it took to support somebody else. Now, in his hour of darkness, his friends are returning the favor.
He Helped Shape Austin’s Music Scene. Now, as He Stares Down ALS, He’s Still Playing.
Rich Brotherton has been a guitar virtuoso for over five decades, and he’s not done yet.
www.texasmonthly.com
January 1, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Rich Brotherton has always found a way to make music—to improvise, to do whatever it took to support somebody else. Now, in his hour of darkness, his friends are returning the favor.
The annual event at the Old Fort Parker Historic Site is where relatives gather to grieve, heal, and acknowledge one of the key events that shaped Texas into what it is today.
At the Parker Family Reunion, Descendants of a Tragedy Come Together
For decades, the annual family reunion at the Old Fort Parker Historic Site, near Groesbeck, has brought relatives together to grieve, heal, and acknowledge one of the key events that shaped Texas int...
www.texasmonthly.com
January 1, 2026 at 12:35 AM
The annual event at the Old Fort Parker Historic Site is where relatives gather to grieve, heal, and acknowledge one of the key events that shaped Texas into what it is today.
Revisit the writing that moved you and reminded you of the beauty, the grief, and the wildness of Texas.
Texas Monthly’s Top Stories of 2025
Revisit the writing that moved you and reminded you of the beauty, the grief, and the wildness of Texas.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Revisit the writing that moved you and reminded you of the beauty, the grief, and the wildness of Texas.
Cyrus Reed knows that fighting for the environment requires more than selling lawmakers on legislation.
For This Environmental Lobbyist, It’s Not All Blue Skies Ahead
For Cyrus Reed, fighting for the environment is bigger than politics.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Cyrus Reed knows that fighting for the environment requires more than selling lawmakers on legislation.
Are the meat sweats real, or are you just sweaty? The Texanist weighs in:
The Texanist: Are “Meat Sweats” a Real Thing?
An Austin woman is worried about a friend who came home from a barbecue festival feeling logy and clammy. Was it all in his head? Or was some of it in his armpits?
www.texasmonthly.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Are the meat sweats real, or are you just sweaty? The Texanist weighs in:
May Cobb always wanted to be a writer, but the bestseller list didn’t seem a likely destination. Then her dark, sultry, Texas-set crime thriller, 'The Hunting Wives,' became a bestseller.
We caught up with Cobb ahead of her newest book's release later this month.
We caught up with Cobb ahead of her newest book's release later this month.
The Author of ‘The Hunting Wives’ Loves Mean Girls
Before last summer, May Cobb was the moderately successful author of a handful of East Texas–set thrillers. Now she’s riding the wave of a hit TV show about some of the cruelest women you’ve ever seen...
www.texasmonthly.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:27 PM
May Cobb always wanted to be a writer, but the bestseller list didn’t seem a likely destination. Then her dark, sultry, Texas-set crime thriller, 'The Hunting Wives,' became a bestseller.
We caught up with Cobb ahead of her newest book's release later this month.
We caught up with Cobb ahead of her newest book's release later this month.
There’s a taste of everything in this city, from upscale Mexican cuisine to trucks specializing in regional delights.
The 21 Best Taco Spots in Houston
There’s a taste of everything in this city, from upscale Mexican cuisine to trucks specializing in regional delights.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:26 PM
There’s a taste of everything in this city, from upscale Mexican cuisine to trucks specializing in regional delights.
Whether the late king gets his way or the Greeks get theirs, both sides are fighting for the festival to go on for at least another fifty years. Nobody, it seems, wants the party or the profits to end.
The King Is Dead. And the Texas Renaissance Festival Begins an Era of Uncertainty.
George Coulam, who ruled over the country’s most popular ren faire for fifty years, has left a power vacuum in a sixteenth-century-styled Texas hamlet.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 30, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Whether the late king gets his way or the Greeks get theirs, both sides are fighting for the festival to go on for at least another fifty years. Nobody, it seems, wants the party or the profits to end.
Is Whataburger still a hometown brand, or has it become something else entirely? Texans’ devotion hasn’t dimmed. But can that kind of cult love travel? Can you scale a loyalty born of place?
Texas’s Favorite Burger Chain Is Out to Conquer America
An inside look at Texas’s favorite burger chain and its plans to win over the rest of America.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Is Whataburger still a hometown brand, or has it become something else entirely? Texans’ devotion hasn’t dimmed. But can that kind of cult love travel? Can you scale a loyalty born of place?
In 2025, Texas Monthly photographers traversed just about every acre of our state, capturing beauty, tragedy, and even Glen Powell on the way.
Our Favorite Photos of the Year
In 2025, Texas Monthly photographers traversed just about every acre of our state, capturing beauty, tragedy, and even Glen Powell on the way.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:30 AM
In 2025, Texas Monthly photographers traversed just about every acre of our state, capturing beauty, tragedy, and even Glen Powell on the way.
For decades, the annual family reunion at the Old Fort Parker Historic Site, near Groesbeck, has brought relatives together to grieve, heal, and acknowledge one of the key events that shaped Texas into what it is today.
Why the Descendants of Cynthia Ann Parker and Quanah Parker Gather Every Year
For decades, the annual family reunion at the Old Fort Parker Historic Site, near Groesbeck, has brought relatives together to grieve, heal, and acknowledge one of the key events that shaped Texas int...
www.texasmonthly.com
December 29, 2025 at 12:30 AM
For decades, the annual family reunion at the Old Fort Parker Historic Site, near Groesbeck, has brought relatives together to grieve, heal, and acknowledge one of the key events that shaped Texas into what it is today.
On the heels of what we hope was a joyous holiday season for all Landman obsessives, the gang returns this week with a healthy hoard of the gifts that keep on giving: money, sex, and, as T.L. says, “enjoying the moments between the problems.”
‘Landman’ Recap: Oil’s Well That Ends Well
We’ve got a lot of romance to juggle in this episode.
www.texasmonthly.com
December 28, 2025 at 10:13 PM
On the heels of what we hope was a joyous holiday season for all Landman obsessives, the gang returns this week with a healthy hoard of the gifts that keep on giving: money, sex, and, as T.L. says, “enjoying the moments between the problems.”