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Thanks to the generosity of many, IRE is fortunate to have funding available to provide fellowships to its training events. This month, IRE awarded nine fellowships for financial assistance to the August 2019 CAR Boot Camp.
Regina Garcia Cano from The Associated Press (Las Vegas, Nevada), April Brown from Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, Arizona) and Yesenia Robles from Chalkbeat received Ottaway Fellowships.
Established by David Ottaway and the Ottaway Family Fund, the fellowship is aimed at increasing the diversity of IRE's membership.
Eric Scicchitano from The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pennsylvania), Christine Vendel from PennLive, Erica Hensley from Mississippi Today and Tony Balandran from Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas) received the Total Newsroom Training Fellowship.
Total Newsroom Training (TNT) Fellowships are open to those who have completed two days of TNT training between 2013 and 2019.
Jackie Callaway from WFTS-TV (Tampa, Florida) and Caitlin Sinett from KY3 and KSPR (Springfield, Missouri) received Knight TV Data Fellowships.
Funded by the Knight Foundation, the Knight TV Data Fellowships were created to build a network of local television journalists committed to producing watchdog journalism. The funding to IRE includes not only fellowships for IRE training, but also support for IRE TV Watchdog Workshops and creation of a new digital TV Watchdog Network.
Learn more about IRE fellowships and scholarships.
Students discuss the Missouri Investigative Journalism Workshop for an episode of the IRE Radio Podcast.
On this special episode, students at the Missouri Investigative Journalism Workshop discuss their experiences at the weeklong summer program. Investigative Reporters & Editors supported the workshop, which was held at the Missouri School of Journalism. Corey Johnson of the Tampa Bay Times and Paula Lavigne of ESPN served as guest instructors.
Host: Matthew O'Stricker of Woodward Academy (Georgia)
Guests: Renee Born of Olathe North High School (Kansas), Ellianna Cierpoit of Blue Valley North High School (Kansas) and Kaden Meyer of Washington High School (Missouri).
Music: Sunday Morning by Podington Bear
Production: Sarah Hutchins, IRE & NICAR
The 2019 IRE Conference in Houston.
Nearly 2,000 journalists attended the 2019 IRE national conference in Houston last week — a record number. The previous record had been 1,860 attendees at the 2016 IRE Conference in New Orleans.
In addition, IRE membership reached a record high in May: 6,178 members.
Those milestones are featured in the "State of IRE: 2019" report, now available online. During the annual membership meeting at the Houston conference, IRE Executive Director Doug Haddix and Board President Cheryl W. Thompson also shared other records that IRE set during this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Haddix and Thompson highlighted the year in IRE training, which included 69 events that reached more than 5,500 journalists, educators and students.
They also detailed progress in diversifying IRE committees, contest screeners and judges, and speakers at national conferences. For instance, journalists of color made up 30 percent of speakers at both the NICAR conference in March and the IRE conference this month. Half of NICAR speakers were women, and nearly 60 percent of speakers were women at the Houston conference.
IRE members returned two incumbents and elected four new members to the organization’s board Saturday.
Incumbents Steven Rich (The Washington Post) and Cheryl W. Thompson (NPR) will be joined on the board by Bethany Barnes (Tampa Bay Times), Jodie Fleischer (WRC-TV NBC4, Washington, D.C), Cindy Galli (ABC News) and Brian M. Rosenthal (The New York Times).
Other candidates for the board were Matt Carroll (Northeastern University) and Rachel Polansky (NBC2 Fort Myers, FL),
Board members serve two-year terms, with seven seats up for election during even-numbered years and six seats up for election in odd-numbered years.
After the election, the newly configured board selected members of the Executive Committee for the coming year: Cheryl W. Thompson, president; Lee Zurik, vice president; Jodi Upton, treasurer; Jill Riepenhoff, secretary; and Nicole Vap, at-large member.
The membership also elected two members to the Contest Committee: Carrie Levine (Center for Public Integrity) and Kameel Stanley (USA TODAY Network).
CNN is contributing $5,000 to support IRE’s new Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship. This yearlong fellowship is designed to increase the range of backgrounds, experiences and interests within the field of investigative journalism, where diverse perspectives are critically important. The fellowship is open to U.S journalists of color with at least three years of post-college work experience.
CNN’s contribution will support funding for the 2020 fellowship, and applications will be available starting in October 2019. Fundraising for the fellowship is also taking place at the 2019 IRE Conference in Houston.
“In a world where the truth matters more than ever, never has our profession had this urgent a need for exceptional investigative journalists,” said Ramon Escobar, vice president of talent recruitment and development and the vice president of diversity and inclusion for CNN Worldwide. “As the global leader in news, CNN is committed to investing and developing diverse investigative journalists that reflect the complex world we cover. We know of no better partner to do that with than IRE, and we are proud to announce our support of the IRE Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship.”
Total donations will determine how many fellowships IRE can award this fall. News organizations and individuals are encouraged to support the fellowship. Interested news organizations may contact Chris Vachon, IRE director of partnerships, at chris@ire.org.
Individuals may donate securely online here (type “JOC fellowship” in the “specify a fund” field). Or, you may mail a check with “JOC fellowship” in the note field to IRE: 141 Neff Annex, Columbia, MO 65211.
The 2019 fellow is Bracey Harris of The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi. She is IRE’s first Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellow. Harris, an education reporter, has been at the paper since September 2015. She previously worked at WLBT in Jackson as an associate morning producer. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi. As part of her fellowship, Harris is exploring the effects of school integration on black families in Mississippi.
Harris received a suite of IRE resources and training opportunities. These included complimentary registration and travel assistance for an IRE boot camp and both annual conferences. Additionally, she is receiving complimentary IRE data services and a mentor network of IRE members.
The IRE Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship launched with generous donations from IRE members Meghan Hoyer, Megan Luther, Mike Tahani and Mike Gruss.
Learn more about IRE fellowships and scholarships here.
Investigative Reporters and Editors has named Michigan State University as the winner of its annual Golden Padlock Award recognizing the most secretive U.S. agency or individual.
MSU was selected for this national honor for keeping sweeping sexual assault scandals under tight wraps, including serial abuse by disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar and hundreds of student complaints against faculty, staff and students. Last year, the attorney general’s special counsel accused the university of trying to “stonewall” the Nassar investigation, saying MSU officials were disingenuous in their commitment to transparency by issuing misleading public statements and withholding key documents. That secrecy reached well beyond Nassar's case.
Last year, MSU officials refused to release records detailing whether 38 of its top officials faced misconduct investigations, the Lansing State Journal reported. MSU also fought to withhold names of athletes in campus police records until a 2015 state supreme court ruling awarded ESPN the records.
In a separate 2017 case, MSU took the remarkable step of suing ESPN in response to a similar request for police reports involving student athletes. The lawsuit was dismissed when a judge concluded the lawsuit could "dissuade persons from making FOIA requests...out of fear of being sued by a public body."
“The secrecy tactics employed by MSU to hide the exploitation and abuse of students under its care were sophisticated and effective,” said Golden Padlock committee chair Robert Cribb. “Hiding hard truths and undermining the public’s knowledge of a national tragedy in an effort to protect the university’s reputation has distinguished MSU as a worthy recipient of this honor.”
IRE invited MSU officials to attend the 2019 IRE Conference and receive the honor. No response was received.
“Sadly, we had a lot of competition for the Golden Padlock Award again this year,” IRE Executive Director Doug Haddix said. “As long as officials keep taking extreme measures to suppress information, we’ll keep calling them out for their blatant disregard of the public trust.”
Golden Padlock judges also awarded a special “Local Padlock” recognizing government secrecy in Houston, the location of the 2019 IRE Conference. Former Houston Mayoral Press Secretary Darian Ward received the honor for spending time on the city's payroll working on side projects — including reality TV show pitches — instead of answering reporters' questions. She also tried to hide her emails, which showed she was distracted with priorities that had nothing to do with serving the people of Houston, from public release. After the news broke, Ward resigned and later pleaded guilty in court to conducting personal work on the taxpayer's dime and was granted probation. IRE notified Ward of the prize but did not hear back from her.
To learn about the 2019 finalists, click here.
FINALISTS
JUDGES
CONTACT:
Robert Cribb, Golden Padlock committee chair: 416-579-0289; rcribb@thestar.ca
Doug Haddix, IRE Executive Director: 573-882-1984; doug@ire.org
The 2019 IRE Conference begins Thursday. Below you'll find some information to help you prepare for the conference!
For up-to-date information about panels, speakers and special events at the conference, please visit our conference website. Thank you to our co-hosts and sponsors for supporting IRE19!
The conference is taking place at the Marriott Marquis Houston, 1777 Walker Street, Houston, TX 77010.
Registration opens at 3 p.m. (closing at 6 p.m.) on Wednesday and will be available Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Texas Foyer located on level 4 of the Marriott Marquis Houston. Be sure to bring photo identification when picking up your name badge.
It's going to be a typical June in Houston: warm and rainy. See the 10-day forecast.
Wireless internet is provided to all conference attendees. Thanks to Gray Television for sponsoring the wireless internet this year.
Network/SSID: IRE_Conference
Password: GrayTV1
Room monitors will be stationed in the hallways during sessions and will be happy to answer your questions.
(Thanks to Advance Local for sponsoring the mobile app this year)
We're giving you several ways to track the full schedule of panels, hands-on classes and special events with accurate, up-to-the-minute details:
Show & Tell sessions allow you to share your investigations with colleagues from around the country. Veteran broadcasters will moderate each session. Each slot runs for 15 minutes. One-on-one mentoring sessions will also be available during the conference with Al Tompkins, Barry Nash and Company, and Maria Mercader. Learn more and sign-up for any of these broadcast options here.
Tweeting from the conference? Use #IRE19 to follow the action.
Be sure to check out the list of IRE special events and partner events taking place this week. And take a moment to stop by Texas Foyer on level 4 to see the exhibitors and recruiters taking part in the conference.
Investigative Reporters & Editors is committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of race, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, appearance or religion.
IRE supports vigorous debate and welcomes disagreement, while maintaining a civil and respectful community. Discriminatory or harassing behavior is not permitted.
IRE may take any action it deems appropriate to deal with those who violate our principles, including exclusion from our events, forums, listservs and the organization itself.
This code of conduct covers all participants in IRE events and is in effect the entire time from the beginning until the end of our conferences.
If you feel threatened or in immediate jeopardy during an IRE event, you should call building security by calling 0 from a house phone, or local police by dialing 911.
During the scheduled program, concerns can be brought to the attention of IRE staff or board members in person. Staff members will have red ribbons on their name badges, and board members will have blue ribbons. To report a possible violation, email conduct@ire.org.
Best bets for a nice meal closest to the conference…
XOCHI: James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega’s Oaxacan restaurant is a jewel in the city’s crown. Elemental mole sauces form the backbone of the menu; to taste them all, scooping with the house-ground corn tortillas, is to grasp Xochi’s singular greatness — and the power of the interior Mexican cuisine that has helped shape the Houston palate. There’s more, of course: fresh handmade cheeses; subtly textured masa snacks; a skillful bar specializing in agave spirits; Ruben Ortega’s surprising desserts; a piquant dried insect or two. Plus stirring applications of those fundamental moles to meats, fowl, shellfish and vegetables. 1777 Walker (inside the Marriott Marquis), 713-400-3330; xochihouston.com
KULTURE: Chef Dawn Burrell rethinks foods of the African diaspora in this dramatic, glass-walled space on a prime corner of Avenida Houston. Kulture is the brainchild of Marcus Davis, owner of the much-loved Midtown soul food hangout, The Breakfast Klub (if you fancy the fried chicken and waffles there, be prepared to wait in line). But downtown, with vintage Michael Jackson on the sound system, soulful turns delicate and detailed in the hands of former Olympic long-jumper Burrell. Her fried okra pods are as fluffed and airy as tempura. Her creamy collard dip seems made for the little rice fritters known as calas. And her blackened cabbage wedge with bacon vinaigrette and onion soubise is pure genius. To go along: strong and sweet cocktails and South African wines. 701 Avenida de las Americas; 713-357-9697; facebook.com/KultureHouston
For cheap and cheerful Vietnamese…
HUYNH: A beloved, homespun Vietnamese spot in a strip mall a few blocks east of the convention center. Major bang for buck – must orders include stunning chargrilled pork soft rolls; piquant yellow coconut curry with tofu, hot chiles and lemongrass (Dau Hu Xào Xa Ót); pulled duck and cabbage salad (seriously, do not miss this); and flash-fried Phoenix chicken with rice and a frizzly fried egg. Note: It’s BYOB. 912 St. Emanuel, 713-224-8964; huynhrestauranthouston.com
For classic Houston Tex-Mex…
ORIGINAL NINFA’S ON NAVIGATION: As the name implies, this is where it all started. If you believe the legend, Mama Ninfa was (is) the patron saint of Tex-Mex. In her once tiny kitchen, she helped popularize fajitas. The margaritas here have life giving powers. Overall, this Ninfa’s is the gold standard for our many temples of Tex-Mex; expect a crowd, and groups should call ahead. 2704 Navigation; 713-228-1175; ninfas.com
EL TIEMPO CANTINA: The expensive chow at El Tiempo, founded by the descendants of Mama Ninfa, is outstanding — deliciously charred fajitas, pillowy flour tacos, amazing salsas. The margaritas are strong and tasty, a rare combination. 2814 Navigation; 713-222-6800; eltiempocantina.com
IRMA’S ORIGINAL: Owner Irma Galvan’s original customers were courthouse employees, judges, attorneys and sheriff’s department — all have remained loyal to her homespun comida: enchiladas, chile rellenos, carnitas, carne guisada and tamales. As downtown grew, so did Irma’s reputation, solidified by a James Beard Foundation award as an America’s Classic restaurant. Her son’s restaurant, Irma’s Southwest (1475 Texas), is also quite good. 22 N. Chenevert; 713-222-0767; irmasoriginal.com
PAPPASITO’S CANTINA: The Pappas family’s Tex-Mex standby still rules. Besides the best queso in town, try the high-quality fajitas or well-made fish tacos. More than a dozen Houston-area locations, including one at the Hilton downtown, which fills up fast if there’s a concert at neighboring Toyota Center. 1600 Lamar pappasitos.com
For (arguably) the city’s best breakfast tacos…
VILLA ARCOS: This small, scarlet-painted shack serves stupendous breakfast tacos on house-made flour tortillas. Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook day dreams about the sprawling Bacon Super Taco, or the simple and sublime Veila's Burrito, with its cargo of chile and refried beans. (Yes, you want onions on that.) The rich sense of East End history, politics and community animates the modest dining room, founded by the late Yolanda Black Navarro in 1977. Order at the window, grab a Mexican Coke, and survey the memorabilia while you wait for your food — and remember that the lesser-known lunch plates are a primal Tex-Mex experience, too. 3009 Navigation; 713-826-1099; originalvillaarcos.com
For a great hamburger…
HUBCAP GRILL: Consistently one of the city’s best burgers. The patties are shaped by hand from fresh beef. The condiments are neither skimpy nor overloaded. The ambience is trailerlicious. 1111 Prairie, 713-223-5885; hubcapgrill.com
For reasonably priced South American food…
ANDES CAFÉ: Talented Ecuadoran chef David Guerrero’s scrappy restaurant in the near East End is a favorite for its raffish, charming décor and its lively, reasonably priced pan-South American menu. From lush, tropical smoothies to finely etched ceviches to deep-fried guinea pig, this kitchen shows remarkable range. 2311 Canal, Suite 104; 832-659-0063; andescafe.com
Where the cool kids eat…
NANCY’S HUSTLE: This unassuming, critically-acclaimed, hip neighborhood bistro feels exactly right, from the vintage R&B on its reel-to-reel tape system to the warmth of the staff to the tightly edited menu of rustic Franco-American fare, goosed with a Mediterranean tingle. Even the salads sparkle with their laser-cut herbs and bright dressings. So does the sourdough bread service. (It’s worth the 5 bucks.) You can graze happily, tackle a serious dinner or sneak in late for a bite at the long, hospitable counter. Reservations recommended. 2704 Polk; 346-571-7931; nancyshustle.com
For grab-and-go grub…
PHOENECIA: This easily walkable, two-level Mediterranean grocer/market has delicious grab-and-go food, a salad bar, and makes pita fresh daily. There’s a café/bar on-site, too. 1001 Austin; 832-360-2222; phoeneciafoods.com
For a wide array of options in one fell swoop…
FOOD HALLS: The food hall trend has finally hit Houston, and there are a two to try downtown with more on the way. Finn Hall, built out in a stunning art deco building, has 10 different vendors (including acclaimed Mala Sichuan Bistro) and an upstairs cocktail bar. The below-ground Conservatory has a beer bar, barbecue, pizza and sushi options, and it’s open till the wee hours on weekends. Be warned that both get super busy with office workers during peak lunch hours. Finn Hall, 710 Main; finnhallhtx.com. Conservatory, 1010 Prairie; conservatoryhtx.com
If you’re feeling fancy and flush…
POTENTE: Astros owner Jim Crane’s luxe Italian spot next to the ballpark could have been just another vanity restaurant. Instead, under chef Danny Trace, it’s home to some very personal Creole Italian food that draws on Trace’s Louisiana and Italian family roots. The pastas are thoughtful, and even such basics as veal and lamb chops are beautifully done. A serious Italian-skewed wine list adds to the fun, as does the chance to spot local and visiting sports stars. The relaxed dress code relaxes even further before an Astros home game. (Next door, Osso & Kristalla, the casual sister restaurant, offers similarly kicky flavors at less cost.) 1515 Texas, 713-237-1515; potentehouston.com
And you want a Texas-size steak….
PAPPAS BROS. STEAKHOUSE: In dining rooms as plush and gleaming as a vintage railway car, big men partake of big dry-aged steaks and big-ticket wines that include interesting premium choices by the glass. The Pappas family is based in Houston, and most everything they do is tip-top notch. 1200 McKinney, 713-658-1995; pappasbros.com
VIC & ANTHONY’S: Steaks, sides that could feed a family and the best calamari on the planet are served at Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta’s Astros ballpark-adjacent steakhouse. Also on the menu: seafood towers, caviar, lobsters, chophouse classics and Prime and Wagyu steaks. No hats, shorts or flip flops allowed. 1510 Texas, 713-228-1111; vicandanthonys.com
If you’re craving great Texas barbecue … you’ll have to take an Uber. Here are a few of the closest spots we recommend:
TRUTH BBQ: The cult favorite from Brenham – about 90 minutes away, Texas Monthly ranked it as the No. 10 best barbecue joint in the entire state – opened a second location in Houston this past January. A line starts forming before the restaurant opens at 11 a.m. Stellar ‘cue, including jaw-droppingly good pork ribs, subtly smoky brisket, tater tot casserole and perfect three-layer cakes, is available till 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday or until they sell out. 110 S. Heights Blvd.; 832-835-0001; truthbbq.com
PINKERTON’S BARBECUE: Grant Pinkerton is making a splash in the Heights with his emphatically Central Texas style ’cue — colossal beef ribs, almost 2 pounds per bone, have a deliciously charred and crusty bark seasoned with salt and coarse ground pepper. Sides, including smoked duck jambalaya and a crisp coleslaw, are all made in-house. Also on offer: craft cocktails and a list of wines meant to be paired with barbecue. 1504 Airline; 713-802-2000; pinkertonsbarbecue.com
THE PIT ROOM: The three types of handmade sausage at this Montrose joint may be the best in Houston: all-beef sausage loaded with mustard seeds and other spices; pork sausage with chunks of fresh jalapeño and melty cheese; and dense, smoky and peppery venison sausage. Thoughtful sides and condiments, as well as tacos with flour tortillas made in-house using fat collected from brisket trimmings. 1201 Richmond, 281-888-1929; thepitroombbq.com
RAY’S BBQ SHACK: The Third Ward barbecue staple has moved from its gas-station digs to sleek new quarters. There’s a tap wall, a convenient counter for solo diners and plenty of shiny galvanized aluminum. Plenty of Southeast Texas-style barbecue, too, including meaty little old-school rib tips in a sandwich (all of the sandwiches are good!); spicy, house-ground beef links; smoked boudin; fried corn on the cob; and glorious pit-smoked mac and cheese. It’s a lively community center where the food has an admirable sense of place, right down to the superior fried catfish, Friday gumbo specials or Thursday’s mighty smoked oxtails. 3929 Old Spanish Trail; 713-748-4227; raysbbqshack.com
Looking for more restaurant recommendations? Check out Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook’s 2018 Top 100 Restaurants list at houstonchronicle.com/top100, and her list of the city’s best new restaurants at bit.ly/2YELOz5.
THE PASTRY WAR: Named for a three-month skirmish in 1838 between Mexico and France, this bar specializes in mezcal, tequila and sotol. Fun décor, impeccable margaritas and delicious tamales further the appeal. 310 Main, 713-226-7770; thepastrywar.com
TONGUE-CUT SPARROW: This 25-seat formal cocktail bar, hidden in a clubby lair above the Pastry War, might be the city’s most intimate place for well-crafted classic cocktails. Reservations accepted. 310 Main, 713-321-8242; tonguecutsparrow.com
DEAN’S DOWNTOWN: Housed in a former clothing store (the remnants of which remain in the windows), this lounge-y watering hole has a cool vibe with eclectic vintage furniture and unfussy cocktails. Live or DJ music often. 316 Main; 832-564-0918; deansdowntown.com
LA CARAFE: One of the oldest bars in one of Houston’s oldest buildings (rumored to be haunted) on historic Market Square. It’s an atmospheric, narrow, candle-lit lair with a classic juke box. On offer: wine by the glass and bottle, and beer in icy mugs. Cash only, but there’s an ATM in the corner. 813 Congress; 713-229-9399
TRUCK YARD: Every day’s a carnival at this Dallas import in EaDo. A huge, rambling indoor/outdoor playground where food trucks park and young things work their way through a smart beer menu as well as craft draft cocktails, frozen cocktails and wine on tap. 2118 Lamar, 713-855-9666; truckyardhouston.com
THE COTTONMOUTH CLUB: First-rate craft cocktails without pretension set to a soundtrack grounded in New York’s downtown scene circa 1970s. Bartenders here make a mean Old Fashioned. 108 Main, cottonmouthhouston.com
RESERVE 101: Love whiskey? This bar offers more than 100, and the bartenders are well versed in the traits and histories of every bottle. Located near Discovery Green, House of Blues and Toyota Center, it draws a diverse crowd. Another great option if you love whiskey AND interesting, well-chosen wine: Public Services Wine & Whisky (202 Travis). 1201 Caroline, 713-655-7101; reserve101.com
THE RUSTIC: An enormous backyard bar and live-music venue that feels distinctly Texas with its chow (queso, deviled eggs, tamales, burgers and tacos) and hooch (bottle, can and draft beers, frozen drinks and cocktails). Live music nightly under the starry skies. 1836 Polk, 832-321-7799; therustic.com
FLYING SAUCER DRAUGHT EMPORIUM: It’s worth a visit just to see this gastropub’s lengthy tap wall — draft beers that are listed along with dozens of bottle varieties in the “fly paper” on your table. Happy hour Monday through Friday means all draft beer is a buck off. Decent pub fare, too. 705 Main; 713-228-9472; beerknurd.com
OKRA CHARITY SALOON: With every drink purchase at this not-for-profit bar with an all-Houston beer list, patrons get a vote to cast on one of the month’s spotlight charities. At the end of the month, the charity with the most votes gets that month’s profits. Cool soaring space in a former jazz club. 924 Congress, 713-237-8828; friedokra.org
8TH WONDER BREWERY: Astrodome seats in the taproom, downtown views from the patio and an evolving lineup of beers — Weisstheimer, AstroTurf and Rocket Fuel, to name a few — all pay homage to our hometown. 2202 Dallas; 8thwonderbrew.com
SAINT ARNOLD BREWING CO.: Houston’s oldest craft brewery celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It has a new outdoor beer garden and art-filled tasting room too, in which to toast with an Art Car IPA or the new dry cider. Fun for lunch. 2000 Lyons; saintarnold.com
TRUE ANOMALY BREWING: This new spot, owned by four NASA employees with a penchant for sour beers, just popped up in the city’s East End, offering a sparkling tap room and a growing list of beers to try. 2012 Dallas; trueanomalybrewing.com
A few other food and drink options worth an Uber:
Great craft cocktails
ANVIL BAR & REFUGE: Searching for some of the best cocktails in the country? And a list of more than 100 options? James Beard finalist Anvil expertly mixes the old-school way, with fresh ingredients and a dose of history. Just know that perfection takes time. 1424 Westheimer, 713-523-1622; anvilhouston.com
Great patio scene
BOHEME: The wine list at this popular Montrose spot isn’t vast, but it’s solid, affordable and thoughtful (we like a place with an albarino, vermentino and gruner veltliner by the glass). Plus, it has one of the city’s nicest patios (with misters), refreshing frozen cocktails and a loaded platter of French fries that must be seen to be believed. 307 Fairview, 713-529-1099; barboheme.com
Great for weekend brunch
CUCHARA: What’s not to love about this Montrose restaurant? There’s the kitchen that cooks with love and Mexican authenticity, the colorful murals that decorate the dining room and an adults-only vibe after dark. Everything is made in-house, including juices for its delicious cocktails. 214 Fairview, 713-942-0000; cuchararestaurant.com
Great wine bar
13 CELSIUS: Housed in a former 1920s dry-cleaners building, this comfortable Midtown wine bar offers a wide variety of unique wines by the bottle, glass and half glass. Also: artisan cheese and salumi boards, and a pretty courtyard. 3000 Caroline, 713-529-8466; 13celsius.com
Great dining exploration if you’re willing to travel…
CHINATOWN: In southwest Houston, about 20-25 minutes’ drive or ride (with no traffic), Houston’s Chinatown is home to a seemingly endless amount of delicious Asian restaurants, most mom and pops. Although it would take you months to get through them all, a few recommendations: Cajun Kitchen or Crawfish & Noodles for the oh-so-Houston Viet-Cajun mash-up; Hai Cang Seafood for an epic live-tank seafood feed with a group; Banana Leaf for Malaysian cuisine; Golden Dim Sum for dim sum; Nam Giao for incredible (and wallet friendly!) Vietnamese; Pho Binh or Pho Ga Dong Nai for pho; FuFu Café or San Dong for dumplings; and on and on…
Note: You can catch the MetroRail red line from Main Street downtown to access some of these spots as well as a handful of other “Museum District” institutions. Check houmuse.org for more information.
THE MENIL COLLECTION: A pilgrimage site for artists from around the world, tucked into a leafy pocket of the Montrose neighborhood. Architecturally marvelous (it was Renzo Piano’s first project in America), the museum houses the permanent collection of John and Dominique de Menil, including art from antiquity, the Byzantine world, tribal cultures and the 20th century. 1533 Sul Ross, 713-525-9400; menil.org. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free.
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON: The permanent collection here spans 6,000 years of history. Through June 27, “Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art” follows Van Gogh through key career stages, from early sketches to final paintings. Through Sept. 8, “Between Play and Grief: Selections From the Latino American Collection” works purchased by MFAH in the past decade. May 24-Sept. 15, “William Forsythe: Choreographic Objects,” interactive installation featuring “City of Abstracts,” “Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time, No. 2” and “Towards the Diagnostic Gaze.” 1001 Bissonnet, 713-639-7300; mfah.org. $17 adults, $14 seniors. Free general admission Thursdays.
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE: Exhibits of dinosaurs, amber gems and rare fossils, Burke Baker Planetarium, IMAX, butterfly garden and more. 5555 Hermann Park Drive, 713-639-4629; hmns.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun. $25 adults; $15 children, seniors and college students; free 2-5 p.m. Thurs.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON: Cutting-edge international, national and regional art. 5216 Montrose, 713-284-8250; camh.org. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Wed. and Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., noon-6 p.m. Sun., closed Mon. Free.
ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER: Art exhibits, performances and programs related to all Asian cultures. Through Aug. 18, “Site Lines: Artists Working in Texas.” Through July 21, “Super Sarap,” video, sculpture and photography inspired by Filipino food. 1370 Southmore; 713-496-9901, asiasociety.org/texas; open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; $8; $5 seniors.
PROJECT ROW HOUSES: Historical preservation meets art and community at a cluster of Third Ward shotgun houses with rotating installations by artists. 2521 Holman, 713-526-7662; projectrowhouses.org. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free.
STATION MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART: Boundary-pushing art reflecting the cultural diversity of Houston. 1502 Alabama, 713-529-6900; stationmuseum.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free.
ORANGE SHOW CENTER FOR VISIONARY ART: A whimsical folk-art monument, a maze of mosaics, statues and silliness. 2402 Munger, 713-926-6368; orangeshow.org. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. between Memorial Day and Labor Day. $5 adults.
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE: Art exhibits, film screenings and educational programs. Through June 29, “3 The Hard Way: Spencer Evans, Vitus Shell and Anthony Suber.” Through July 6, “Brionya James: That’s All She Wrote.” 4807 Caroline, 713-526-1015; hmaac.org. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sat. and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.
ART CAR MUSEUM: A Houston classic merging cars and modern art. 140 Heights, 713-861-5526; artcarmuseum.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free.
The 2019 IRE Conference app is now available through Guidebook!
We encourage you to download our mobile guide to enhance your experience in Houston. You’ll be able to plan your day with a personalized schedule, browse maps and connect with other attendees.
The app is free and compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches and Android devices.
To get the guide, choose one of the methods below:
Pelin Ünker
A Turkish investigative journalist, sentenced to prison for her truthful reporting on offshore investments by the country’s former prime minister, is the 2019 recipient of the Don Bolles Medal from Investigative Reporters and Editors.
Pelin Ünker was sentenced in January to 13 months for “defamation and insult” of Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and his two sons. An appeals court dismissed the prison term in April, but upheld a fine against Ünker.
“With authoritarian governments around the globe increasingly attempting to suppress the truth with threats of imprisonment, IRE stands with Pelin and other Turkish journalists in declaring that journalism should never be a crime,” said IRE Board President Cheryl W. Thompson.
The Don Bolles Medal, which will be awarded during the annual IRE Conference later this month in Houston, recognizes investigative journalists who have exhibited extraordinary courage in standing up against intimidation or efforts to suppress the truth about matters of public importance.
Ünker, a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, used the Paradise Papers trove of documents to report that Yildirim’s sons held shares in offshore shipping companies set up in Malta. Ünker reported that one company shared an address with a Turkish business that won a $7 million research and shipping-related tender from the Turkish government.
Yildirim, who later became speaker of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly, reportedly did not deny the facts of Ünker’s stories that were published in Cumhuriyet, one of Turkey’s oldest newspapers.
“Pelin has stared down intimidation from some of her country’s most powerful people and her commitment to telling stories of public interest, despite such pressure, deserves to be celebrated and honored," said Gerard Ryle, director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. “Her dignity and professionalism is an example to journalists around the world.”
Turkey has engaged in an unprecedented crackdown on freedom of the press since a July 2016 coup attempt. More than 180 news outlets have been shut down under laws passed by presidential decree, and there are more than 100 journalists in prison there, more than any other country in the world, according to PEN America.
“Pelin and her colleagues remind us that courageous investigative journalists are needed around the globe to shine the light on those places where corruption flourishes,” Thompson said.
Formed in 1975, IRE is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting around the globe.
The Don Bolles Medal was created in 2017 in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Arizona Project, an effort led by IRE to finish the work of Don Bolles, an Arizona Republic investigative reporter who was killed by a car bomb in 1976. Bolles' death came a few days before the first national IRE Conference in Indianapolis, where the veteran reporter had been scheduled to speak on a panel. At the time, Bolles had been investigating allegations of land fraud involving prominent politicians and individuals with ties to organized crime. After his murder, nearly 40 journalists from across the country descended on Arizona to complete his investigation. News organizations across the country published their findings. Their message: Even if you kill a reporter, you can’t kill the story.
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