Most viewed stories of the week
Houston can't get enough of Housewives & Heap, but, oh, those risque IKEA ads!
CultureMappers can't get over the possibility of a reality show about Houston housewives. Our story handcapping the choices for a housewives of Houston edition continues to be a fan favorite — it was the most viewed story — again — last week. There was also a outpouring of affection for Kanomwan owner Darawan Charoenrat after we reported his death. And Janet Gurwitch's interview with executive Rich Kinder was required reading in boardrooms across Houston.
Among editor's picks: We were impressed that singer Imogen Heap used her Houston appearance to boost the coffers of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership and amused by the controversy over those new IKEA ads. World Cup mania and our "Real Estate Confidential" series are also drawing a lot of attention. Help us ban the vuvuzela!
Something we never thought we'd see: Our resident liberal, Sarah Rufca, got a shout-out on the Far Right Radio website in a list of "five players and their bright ideas" to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Sarah had highlighted Houston's "MacGyver" — inventor Steven Dvorak, who has begged BP to take note of his device to gather oil as it floats to the surface.
And Fayza Elmostehi's moving story on Toby, the six-month-old yellow lab mix who recently made it to Houston after a soujourn in Iraq made the SPCA International website. Fayza continues to follow the story and will report back when Toby is united with Tom Saldana, the serviceman who bonded with the pooch while on duty in the Middle East, next month.
Top stories June 6-12:
1. Look Out! The Real Housewives of Houston are coming! Producers quietly casting now
2. A Houston restaurant original: Kanomwan's beloved "Thai Nazi" dies
3. James A. Elkins III dies of apparent heart attack in France
4. In dissing Chris Rock, Kobe Bryant only flexes fakeness and jerkdom at the NBA Finals
5. Rich Kinder talks leadership style, career advice and why he works for $1 a year
Editor's Picks:
1. Imogen Heap rocks out for Buffalo Bayou Partnership
2. Are those risque IKEA Swedes just too hot for Houston TV?
3. There was blood — How I became a World Cup fanatic
4. University of Houston's one-stop parking garage: Did you bring the dry cleaning?
5. A human Hive made out of shipping containers...just your ordinary (Topchy) construction project