• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Houston First
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Letter from Lois

    The Bronx Zoo cobra has nothing on original tropical Twitter goddess CorpseFlower Lois

    Corpse Flower Lois
    Mar 31, 2011 | 5:35 pm
    • The Egyptian cobra has nothing on this corpse flower.
    • My habitual hangout, the Hotel Gansevoort
    • Indeed, I'm on a first name basis with all of the plants in the MoMA sculpturegarden.
    • Masa restaurant has a "no cobra" policy.
    • Um, gross.

    So. Everyone is up in arms over the 20-inch female Egyptian cobra that escaped from the Bronx Zoo, as well as her own snarky Twitter feed. You probably already know how I feel about outer boroughs, so it goes without saying that this rank reptile is pure trash.

    Here's a short list of reason's I'm more fab than this bitch from the Bronx:

    • Purple is prettier than brown
    • I don't share a name with a medical benefits package
    • I may smell, but I don't bite

    Let's look at one of her tawdry tweets:

    "On top of the Empire State Building! All the people look like little mice down there. Delicious little mice."

    Who goes to the Empire State Building? More importantly, who admits to going to the Empire State Building? Looks like *somebody* has spent too many nights watching Sleepless in Seattle.

    In truth, this snake is a sucker for all variety of tourist traps, from the Met and the Seinfeld diner, to the Museum of Natural Science and Ray's Pizza. Not to unleash my fangs, but whenever I head to "the city," you won't find me anywhere listed in Frommer's. I frequent the boutique hotels you haven't even heard of (perhaps you've seen my petals at the Thompson or Hotel Gansevoort with other socialite Internet creatures like Heidi the opossum and the late Knut).

    And I'm sorry, but the Met's simply not for me — I prefer private patron previews at the Frick and Neue Galerie.

    Of course, how could she know any better? The snake is from the Bronx's only public draw. I'll have to hold back judgment on the zoo — the only time I've gone north of a two-digit numbered block was while summering on Martha's Vineyard. I don't blame the poor thing for escaping from its off-exhibit enclosure, far off from the public. A diva needs room to breathe. I'd take my throne at the Houston Museum of Natural Science greenhouse over a closet at the Bronx Zoo any day.

    The cobra may be having a fine time terrorizing Manhattan, but I hear that there's a honey badger out on the loose from the Central Park Zoo . . . so she better keep those beady eyes peeled.

    Corpse Flower Lois is the superstar corpse flower who caused an international sensation at the Houston Museum of Natural Science last summer. She continues to like her espresso with no Splenda and doesn't give a f*** what you think.

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Houston Tex-Mex institution to close flagship and more popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Sep 5, 2026 | 11:00 am
    Pappasitos Cantina sign
    Courtesy of Pappasitos
    undefined

    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, from a Tex-Mex institution's impending closure to all the best steak nights in town. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan your Labor Day weekend right here.

    1. Houston Tex-Mex institution's original location to close after 43 years. The original location of a pioneering Houston Tex-Mex restaurant will soon serve its last order of fajitas. Pappasitos Cantina is closing its location at Richmond and Hillcroft on September 13.

    2. 12 special Houston steak nights served Monday through Thursday. Houstonians love a deal, especially when it involves a juicy steak. Thankfully, Houston's bars and restaurants are serving up a host of compelling steak night specials.

    3. 2 Michelin-rated Houston restaurants teamed up for taco-fueled fundraiser. Held Sunday, August 30, the Perfect Pairing event united Tatemó chef-owner Emmanuel Chavez with The Pit Room’s Memorial location for an epic evening of tacos, margaritas, and community.

    Big Brothers Big Sisters Houston Perfect Pairing Pit Room Tatemo Michael Sambrooks, Emmanuel Chavez, Humberto Celis, Alexia Ramirez, Matt Harris, and Amber Kelusky. Courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters Houston

    4. Award-winning Houston smash burger restaurant sets Katy opening date. The wait is nearly over for the eagerly anticipated Katy location of Burger Bodega. The smash hit smash burger concept will open at 11 am on September 19.

    5. Houston home to No. 2 biggest drop in rent prices in U.S. since last year. A new report has revealed that Texas is leading the nation in annual rent declines since 2025, and Houston rent prices have fallen as much as 14 percent since last August.

    most popular storiesclosingshot headlines
    news/city-life

    most read posts

    2 Michelin-rated Houston restaurants teamed up for taco-fueled fundraiser

    Houston chef takes flight with new Gulf Coast seafood spot in the Heights

    Staple West Houston Chinese buffet reopens after glamourous makeover

    Loading...