John O'Quinn car collection
1928 Cadillac "Al Capone" Town Sedan
1964 Shelby Cobra USRRC Roadster
1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe
1964 Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Road Agent
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call it a comeback
Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander wins Comeback Player of the Year award
Nov 22, 2022 | 7:20 pm
Houston Astros/Facebook
Verlander is the no-brainer pick for the award.
Two years ago, Houston Astros All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander underwent serious Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. At 37, he faced a long rehab, missed the entire 2021 season, and faced down a potential end to his illustrious, Cy Young-winning career.
But that was two years ago. Fast forward to 2022, where Verlander has another World Series title, another Cy Young Award, and now, the 2022 American League Comeback Player of the Year, announced late Tuesday, November 22.
The 39-year-old Verlander becomes the first Astros player to score the award.
Officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball, the Comeback Player of the Year Awards have been presented each year since 2005 to one player in each league who has re-emerged on the field during the season. Beat reporters from 30 MLB teams select the winners from an original list of 30 candidates (one per MLB club).
This year marked the first season back after Tommy John surgery, a season where Verlander posted an American League-leading 18 wins and an astounding 1.75 ERA — the lowest in Astros full-season history. By the numbers, Verlander’s ERA is the lowest posted by an AL pitcher in a full season since Red Sox starter Pedro Martinez had a 1.74 ERA in his Cy Young season of 2000, per MLB stats.
In his 12 starts following an Astros loss, Verlander went 9-0 with a 1.11 ERA (9ER/73IP), per the Astros.
On November 10, Verlander opted out of his Astros deal and became a free agent. "I've kind of committed to myself that we're on this journey, and this journey has been incredible," he told reporters on a conference call after winning his third Cy Young on November 16.
Verlander will clearly test free agency and may not return. But between his World Series ring, Cy Young Award, and now Comeback Player of the Year honor, 2022 will be truly historic for the pitcher and the Astros.
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Houston-based rap mogul 50 Cent lassos top honors at annual Rodeo Uncorked! wine competition
Nov 22, 2022 | 4:35 pm
Image courtesy of RodeoHouston
Fiddy won big with his Le Chemin du Roi Brut.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2023 doesn't kick off again until February 28, but as any longtime Houstonian knows, rodeo season is all year.
With that in mind, the rodeo has announced winners from the annual Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. Top honors of Grand Champion Best of Show went to famed Newstonian and rap star/businessman/occasional TV hostCurtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his Le Chemin du Roi Brut, Champagne AOC, NV.
Jackson, an ardent rodeo fan, also won Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show in 2021 for the Le Chemin du Roi Brut, as CultureMap previously reported. No stranger to Texas-sized spending on grapes, he bid and won on a 2017 Hye Meadow Winery Boooom Red (Texas High Plains), which he noted on Twitter costs “more than a Rolls Royce.”
Meanwhile, the 2023 Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show was awarded to Bernhardt Winery Antiquity Chardonnay Reserve, Danube Plain, 2020, per the rodeo.
“The 2023 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition featured an incredible selection of wines from around the world, with Le Chemin du Roi Brut, Champagne AOC, NV, taking home the top prize as Grand Champion Best of Show,” said Chris Boleman, rodeo president and CEO, in press materials.
This year’s competition at NRG Center boasted 3,071 entries from 18 countries, including Argentina, Bulgaria, France, Israel, Italy, South Africa, and Spain. Some 160 entries hailed from this year’s featured region, Australia.
Notably, 531 of those entries were from Texas wineries. For a full list of winners, visit the Rodeo Uncorked! winners site.
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take it slow
Favorite Houston coffee shop and cafe brews up fourth location in West U
Nov 22, 2022 | 3:55 pm
Photo by Becca Wright
Breakfast is available all day at Slowpokes.
A growing Houston coffee shop and cafe will soon debut its fourth location. The newest Slowpokes will open Monday, November 28 in West University Place (6725 Stella Link Road).
Slowpokes has developed a devoted following thanks to its combination of coffee, beer, and wine that are paired with a diverse food menu built around sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, and breakfast items. Those three beverages are represented by three mascots: a turtle named Mash (beer), a snail named Tasker Alexander (wine), and a sloth named Patches (coffee).
First opened in Garden Oaks in 2016 by owner Mazen Baltagi — a Houstonian hospitality veteran who’s a partner in establishments such as Christian’s Tailgate and the Warwick — Slowpokes has grown to locations in Upper Kirby and Spring Branch.
“It’s been incredible to see how the local community has shaped each of our locations into something unique, and we’re really excited to see what that means for our friends here in West U,” Baltagi said in a statement.
The new location seats 50 people indoors and more on an outdoor patio. Slowpokes posted a sneak peek of the new location’s interior on Instagram.
Slowpokes fans will find the same menu as the other three locations, which means favorites like the chicken pesto panino, salmon bagel, and brie and pear flatbread (known as the Let it Be) are all available. A rotating selection of pastries and baked goods come from a number of local purveyors, including Michael’s Cookie Jar, Sinfull Bakery, and Angela’s Oven.
On the beverage side, looks for a full coffee program that features seasonal specials such as the Punkin’ Pie Latte, the Snickerdoodle Latte, and the Peppermint Mocha Latte. Beers come from local breweries such as 8th Wonder, Eureka Heights, Saint Arnold and more. Slowpokes’ wine selection rotates regularly. Diners may grab-and-go or linger into happy hour that features $4 draft beers, $5 wines by-the-glass, and $10 flatbreads.
“We’re genuinely so grateful for the communities that have embraced us,” Baltagi added. “We hope we’ve been able to better our regulars’ lives as much as they have ours and we’re looking forward to expanding our reach in Houston.”
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