Food, culture, news and nature in the sweaty Bayou City. Join Host Lisa Gray and the City Cast Houston team as we... more
The Buffalo Bayou is a 52-mile river that flows through the heart of our city. It’s home to some of... more
The epidemic of people experiencing homelessness has been a problem all over America, but after being praised by The New York Times for... more
We all talk about how traffic has gotten so much worse in our city and most of the time people... more
What happened this week in Houston? Here to talk all about it are Producer Carlignon Jones, producer AK AL-Moumen and... more
Houston does food right, there’s no debate there. But did you know it’s also crowned for having one of the... more
Harwin Drive is the place many say you can find almost anything your heart desires. No matter if its clothing,... more
City Cast contributor Jaime González explains the deep history and surprising substrates of our daily commutes. Interested in being the new... more
Houston is famous for its big-hearted philanthropists. But not all of them have big money: Today we’re talking with truck... more
What happened this week in Houston? Podcaster Mohammad Usman Aijaz and producer Carlignon Jones join host Lisa Gray for her... more
It’s Lisa Gray’s last week at City Cast Houston, so she and the City Cast crew revisit some of the... more
Legendary producer Sean 'Solo' Jemison was instrumental in defining Houston’s Hip-Hop sound in the '90s with countless hits under his... more
The Texas Legislature is awash in lobbyists pushing for Texas to expand legal gambling. So is this finally the year... more
Jen Rice, who covers Harris County for the Houston Chronicle, helps host Lisa Gray get her head around a wild... more
Yes, Houston has two MLK parades at the same time. The City Cast crew elaborates — and offers other ways... more
Once upon a time, the nightclub District 1960 featured performers like Megan Thee Stallion and Slim Thug. Then the pandemic... more
Every two years the Texas State Legislature convenes for a few frantic months of lawmaking. The last session brought extraordinary... more
Think ballet is boring? You haven’t seen Harper Watters strut his glam stuff on Instagram. For more check out Harper's website... more
It’s time to hash out the week’s news. Contributor Shiyam Galyon, producer AK Al-Moumen and host Lisa Gray discuss the... more
Usually the City Cast crew talks about Houston’s greatest stuff, the places and experiences you want to share with people... more
The Karankawa tribe was long thought to be extinct but Absolem Yetzirah, a Karankawa native and Council-member of the Five... more
What do we want out of Houston this year? City Cast guests and contributors offer suggestions — and a few predictions. Looking for... more
Houston rained victorious this year as the Astros took home the trophy for the World Series! With over 1 million... more
Today, as we continue our celebration of 2022’s superlatives, we’re revisiting the show that made us hungriest. In September, Ope... more
On today’s celebration of 2022 superlatives, we’ll hear from one of this year’s most entertaining guests — and also the... more
As we look back on 2022, we’re doing a week of superlatives! Today we give you the year’s biggest Houston... more
The City Cast crew looks back on the year’s most Houston moment, the city’s hottest hotspot, and more. The Most Houston... more
For lots of Mexican-American families in Texas, Christmas is celebrated with tamales — often homemade ones. Adán Medrano, author of the... more
Which Houstonians delighted us this year? And which ones deserve coal in their stockings? Texas Monthly staff writer Michael Hardy... more
In the Houston area, winter is the best season to be outdoors. But if you want to immerse yourself in... more
Time to recap the week’s Houston news! City Cast cultural contributor Antréchelle Dorsey joins producer Carlignon Jones and host Lisa... more
An out-of-state colleague recently tried Texans’ favorite fast-food chain and says that he can’t understand why it’s so popular. The... more
How do you get to be a Santa? Do you hang out with other Santas? Isn’t that suit hot? Santa... more
Hot chocolate, snowmen, and a crackling fire in the hearth? Bah, humbug: Here in subtropical Houston, the azaleas are blooming,... more
In May inmate Gonzalo Lopez, a former member of the Mexican mafia, hijacked a Texas prison bus on its way... more
What happened this week in Houston? Lisa Gray, AK AL-Moumen, and Olivia Flores Alvarez process the week’s biggest stories. The Chron's... more
The City Cast crew checks out Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other worthy competitors. H-E-B. Central Market Houston locations. Trader Joe's Houston Locations. Whole... more
Usually we think of coral reefs — the oceans’ most thrilling displays of life — near exotic vacation destinations, such... more
What do the latest COVID numbers show? What’s the situation at Houston children’s hospitals? Houston Chronicle medical reporter Julian Gill... more
The real-estate firm Concept Neighborhood aims to make The Plant/Second Ward, an area just east of downtown Houston, far more... more
What happened this week in Houston? Host Lisa Gray and University of Houston historian Raúl Ramos hash out the news. Conflict... more
Could you, in a pinch, buy your holiday gifts at Texas’ biggest, beaver-iest roadtrip stop? The City Cast crew gives... more
Montrose — Houston’s most walkable neighborhood, full of interesting places to eat, drink, and hang out — remains the center of LGBTQ life in... more
Why buy your holiday gifts from Amazon or big-box stores? You’ll find cooler stuff at locally owned businesses — and... more
Houston has one of the fastest-growing Black populations in the U.S., and it’s among the leading cities for Black businesses.... more
Anita Jaisinghani, the owner/chef behind Pondicheri, one of Houston’s favorite restaurants, has just published a cookbook: “Masala: Recipes from India,... more
From 1960s “brown-eyed soul” to present-day cumbia, Houston’s Chicano music reflects our Gulf Coast multicultural meltdown. Guests Nick Gaitan, Isaac... more
For decades we’ve heard that shopping malls are withering away. So why is the Galleria packed? In this rebroadcast of... more
Time to wrap up the week’s Houston news! Host Lisa Gray hashes it out with producer Carlignon Jones and cultural... more
The City Cast crew has your back. Plus, producer AK AL-Mouman asks what so many of Houston’s immigrants wonder: What’s... more
Got overdue Houston speeding tickets? Through Saturday, you can pay them off at a discount, and without getting arrested. But... more
Ever thought about getting a tattoo, but the “permanent” part held you back? Ephemeral, a small chain that recently opened... more
The Alley Theatre — Houston’s oldest and biggest theater — turned 75 this year. For several of those decades, the... more
Yow, what a week for Houston news this has been! Scott Braddock, of the Quorum Report and Texas Take, joins... more
Though Republicans swept statewide offices (same as it ever was), Democrats overwhelmingly won in Harris County. Do those skinny margins... more
Election update from host Lisa Gray. Plus, producer AK AL-Moumen interviews Rafael Struve and Eliot Carter about the GOP push to attract... more
Producers Carlignon Jones and AK AL-Moumen capture the sounds Astros’ World Series championship parade. Plus: City Cast Philly makes good... more
Politics contributor Evan Mintz and host Lisa Gray discuss tomorrow’s mid-term election. What do we know from early voting? How... more
Political analyst Scott Braddock joins host Lisa Gray and producer AK AL-Moumen to unpack the week’s news. Want more Houston news?... more
We're breaking down the best food trucks in Houston today with host Lisa Gray, and producers (and noted food truck... more
Sprawling, spread-out Houston is a different kind of city than Chicago or New York, so we need to think differently... more
Fall means that the weather perfect for exploring Houston neighborhoods. Today we’re revisiting one of our favorite “neighborhood guide” episodes.... more
When playwright Brendan Bourque-Sheil was 18, he and his mom lived in an apartment in The Woodlands. One night, they... more
With the World Series about to start, City Cast Philly’s Trenae Nuri challenges host Lisa Gray to a bet that... more
Obviously Houston is better. But why? Dallas partisan Angelica “Jelly” Walker bravely makes the case for the wrong city. Host... more
Independence Heights, now in northwest Houston, was originally its own town — and in fact, was Texas’ first municipality registered... more
What does Beto have to do with the Alamo? Why are people screaming at school boards? And what’s the deeper... more
When did bike paths become the stuff of attack ads? And was that Pride Ride hit-and-run an accident or an... more
What happened this week in Houston? Host Lisa Gray, producer Carlignon Jones, and journalist and podcaster Donnie Houston recap it... more
Outdoor horror movies, costume ideas, and other suggestions from the City Cast crew — host Lisa Gray, producers Carlignon Jones... more
What does the poet laureate of Houston do? Can poetry be a day job? Emmanuel Outspoken Bean, Houston’s poet laureate, talks... more
Standing sewage, gang extortion, and guards who carry knives to protect themselves: Keri Blakinger, of the Marshall Project, recently reported... more
Last week Joe Biden pardoned people for federal marijuana possession. Does that change anything in Houston or Texas? What’s the... more
What happened this week in Houston? Scott Braddock, of “Texas Take” and “The Quorum Report,” joins host Lisa Gray and... more
If you could designate four great people who represent this city, who would they be? Barbara Jordan? Beyoncé? The City... more
Why was Houston picked to play a dystopian, crime-ridden Detroit in “RoboCop 2”? What did that wretched movie have to say... more
In Harris County, early voting starts October 23. What’s at stake this year? Will Beto have coattails? How is a... more
Can the Astros win the World Series? What do roller-coaster oil prices mean for Houston’s economy? And can police find... more
How should we savor this glorious weather? The City Cast crew — Lisa Gray, Carlignon Jones and Brooke Lewis — weigh... more
Rodeo Goat, in EaDo, serves great burgers. But what really wows its guest is the welcoming spirit and the wildly... more
The City of Houston already buys more renewable energy “than any other place,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told us when... more
In the wake of Hurricane Ian, we thought you might be wondering: How do hurricanes work? And what's the best... more
It’s that time of the week y’all! We’re diving into a weeks worth of news from around Houston with producer... more
What are this city’s best places to relax with friends? To meet them for a night of drinks? Or after... more
ChopnBlok serves up smoky jollof rice with a side of West African culture, and in less than a year, it’s... more
Houston is the most diverse city in America, but one thing that makes us even more unique is the deep... more
Hispanics, Latinos, Latinx people. However you define this overlapping set of groups, whatever you call it. It is clearly the... more
It’s been a long week, which means we have a lot of news to roundup! Don’t worry, Lead Producer Dina... more
Today the team chats all things museums in Houston. In addition to producer Carlignon Jones and newsletter writer Brooke Lewis,... more
Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing grew up in Third Ward and is raising her own kids there now. Today she... more
With cooler temperatures on the horizon, City Cast contributor Evan Mintz can’t wait for Houston’s best season to grow veggies. Year-Round... more
Today, host Lisa Gray sits down with Phyllis Frye. She's dubbed the grandmother of transgender rights who pioneered transgender law.... more
It’s that time of the week y’all where we dive into a weeks worth of news. Today, producer Carlignon Jones is... more
Today, in our weekly team chat, we’re tackling our favorite things to do this Fall season. Lead producer Dina Kesbeh... more
Joshua Martin is the Youngest SGA President in history at the University of Houston after winning his freshman year on... more
Today, DJ, producer, journalist, and podcast host Donnie Houston is here to chat with producer Carlignon Jones about how he... more
American alligators, the kind that live in the Houston area came off the endangered species list in the 1990s. But... more
It's that time of the week where we look back at a weeks worth of news! Today, you'll hear a... more
Houston spawns talent. (You’re welcome, world.) Today lead producer Dina Kesbeh will rave about Mo Amer, producer Carlignon Jones talks... more
Today, we're bringing back one of our favorite episodes. The one where we talk about DJ Screw. In the early 90's,... more
Hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, and floods: Thinking about Houston's natural world can be stressful. But investing in nature not only... more
It’s that time of the week where we dive into a weeks worth of news. Today, host Lisa Gray is... more
If you’re looking to thrift on a budget or hunt for the latest designer items for half the cost, we’ve... more
The iconic Shamrock hotel was torn down decades ago, but its presence still looms large in Houston legend. It was... more
Today, Beekeeper Nicole Buergers, from Bee2Bee Honey Collective, responds to an episode we aired earlier this month called Why Houston’s... more
Charter schools, private schools, public schools and more! Houston, has so many options when it comes to schooling.. possibly more... more
It’s that time of the week where we dive into a weeks worth of news from around Houston. Today host... more
This week, we dive into the best date night spots from around the city. Producer Carlignon Jones is a thrill... more
Lead producer Dina Kesbeh, who grew up in Alief, discusses the neighborhood with two of her high school classmates, Firas... more
Magnolias are a symbol of the Old South — but they’re also so much more. Lisa Gray talks with City Cast... more
Texas teachers are leaving the profession in droves, and to get a grip on the problem, the governor has appointed... more
Lead producer Dina Kesbeh, who grew up in Alief, discusses the neighborhood with two of her high school classmates, Firas Abulawi and... more