Suspect Arrested in Slaying Of Transman

We frequently hear about transwomen being murdered, but there's a case going on in Hattiesburg, MS in which a transman was killed.

28 year old Devin Fortune is charged with one count of murder in the stabbing death of 47 year old Archie Avis Brooks. He is being held at the Forrest County Jail on a $1 million bail.

Forrest County Deputy Coroner Jonathan Nobles said Brooks had been dead since July 26.

After his court appearance in Forrest County Justice Court he told reporters,"I feel bad.” "I regret what I done. I made a mistake.”

Relatives of Brooks who attended Fortune's bond hearing would not comment.

Forrest stated that he stabbed Brooks, who was originally born in New Orleans, after an argument.

Police recovered Brooks' body from a second-floor apartment after a first-floor neighbor reported blood dripping from the ceiling.

Say Hello To Justice Sotomayor

When the Supreme Court kicks off it's fall term in October, it will be another historic moment for our country.

For the first time in our country's history, the Supreme Court photo will include a Latina justice.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor was just confirmed confirmed by the Senate moments ago on a 68-31 mostly party line vote as our 111th associate justice of the Supreme Court.

Only nine Republicans voted for her such as Mel Martinez of Florida.

This is a great day not only for Latino Americans but all Americans. Congratulations to Justice Sotomayor who will be sworn in Saturday by Chief Justice John Roberts as our third female justice and third* non-white justice.

Clarence Thomas is a BINO-Black in Name Only. Now can we get a sistah on the Court to counteract Clarence Thomas' self-hating bullcrap?

When she finally joins the court this October she'll be the only justice who wa a prosecutor, has trial court experience, and 17 years experience at two levels of the federal court system.

Sade's Working On A New Album!

I've loved me some Sade ever since her slammin' debut album 'Diamond Life' hit the airwaves in 1985.

I own every one of her albums, but unfortunately new Sade material is about as rare as NBA playoff appearances for the LA Clippers.

Even though I and 'errbody' else who loves Sade have to wait almost a decade before she records another album, it still doesn't dampen my enthusiastic love for her music.

Judging by her record sales I'm probably not the only person in the States who feels that way.

Since 1985 Sade has sold 17 million albums. The last album she released, 2000's 'Lovers Rock' sold 3.9 million copies in the States. 1992's 'Love Deluxe', the album that preceded it sold 3.4 million.

Now comes word confirmed by Billboard.com sources that Sade has been in the studio since June working on her first album of new songs in nine years. Her record company Sony is hoping for a late fall 2009-early 2010 release date on the new as yet untitled album.

People, I know what one of the presents high on my 2009 Christmas list is going to be besides some new shoes. But whenever the new Sade jam comes out, I'll be at my local music store picking it up if it doesn't arrive in my Christmas stocking.

Guess What Shade The Anti-Health Care Peeps Are Throwing Now?

The health care industry, the GOP, their lobbying groups and shills have thrown $130 million dollars and counting into the battle to kill health care reform.

They have tried to scare seniors by claiming health care is a plot to kill our senior citizens. They have distorted, delayed and now organized mobs similar to the the 2000 'Brooks Brothers Riots' that shut down the Bush-Gore recount in Miami-Dade County with the express goal of shutting down discussions at Democratic congressional legislators town hall meetings.

I was wondering how long it would take for the Forces of Intolerance and their corporate paymasters to use transpeople for one of their classic tried and true tactics to oppose reforms.

The Greed Over People party have joined in the effort to scare and bamboozle the stupid Faux News watching sheeple into opposing health care reform that benefits them all in the name of protecting their windfall profits:.

No sooner had that thought crossed my mind than when I flipped on the computer and read Autumn Sandeen's post at Pam's House Blend about her name being dragged through the muck of the health care debate by conservafool Peter LaBarbera.

Folks, you don't have to be very politically sophisticated to predict that GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) activists and their liberal allies are going to demand "Tranny-Care" under a federal health insurance system, in the name of "fairness" and "inclusion" - even if it's not passed initially as a "benefit." And yes, the idea of subsidizing body-disfiguring "operations" surely would be considered "queer" by the average tax-paying American. Already, trans activists are strategizing on the best ways to get taxpayers to pay for their gender-confused mutilations "sex change" procedures -- and Human Rights Campaign and other homosexual lobby groups boast of their support for same in cities like San Francisco.
-- Peter LaBarbera, www.aftah.com

Okay peeps, if y'all want affordable health care in our lifetimes, it's past time to fight these bastards tooth and nail.

Is Texas In Play?

I've been saying for years that national liberal-progressives need to quit writing off Texas and aggressively speed up the process of turning it blue.

As a native I know that the current perception that Texas is a intractable red state.

Yes, a Democrat hasn't won a statewide race since 1994. The Repugnicans have had control of both houses of The Lege since 2003 and have a commanding share of the state's current 30 congressional districts. Sen. John McCain, thanks to the margin he built up in rural areas of Texas won the state by 11 points in the 2008 presidential election.

But that congressional district advantage is the result of the 2003 Delaymandering, and the Texas House only switched to Republican control in 2003. It also bears noting that a Delaymandered House chamber designed to produce a 120-30 Republican advantage is only 76-74 GOP.

Dallas County kicked every Republican officeholder at the judicial and county level out of power in 2006. Hays County south of Austin did the same in 2008 and Harris County (Houston) has started the process of taking control of the judiciary back from the GOP.

In addition population trends bode well for the Texas Democratic Party in that Texas is about to become a majority-minority state.

Texas also has a history of progressive politics. Sen. Ralph Yarborough, who held the office from 1957 to 1971 was the only Democratic senator from a formerly Confederate state to vote for every civil rights bill he had an opportunity to vote for.

I was happy to see the news that for the first time in several years according to a recent Gallup poll, more people in my birth state openly identify themselves as Democrats as opposed to Republicans.

A recent Gallup poll interview 9,000 Texans and reported that 42 percent of respondents identify as Democrats or independents who lean Democratic, while 40 percent say they are Republicans or independents who lean Republican.

The conditions are right after 15 years of disastrous Republican rule of the Lone Star State to turn it into a swing state. The Texas Democratic Party is working hard to do just that, but the national party needs to pump some cash into the state to make that happen instead of using Texas as a political ATM. It also needs to keep Texas Dems and volunteers at home to help on local campaigns instead of busing Dems to help with races elsewhere.

The fact that Texas' electoral vote value will probably increase after next year's census only heightens the urgency to the goal of turning Texas back to blue.

In addition, we need to do it to honor the work and memories of Texas liberal progressive icons such as Billie Carr, Sen. Ralph Yarborough, Rep. Barbara Jordan, Gov. Ann Richards and countless others who believe that Texas government should serve all the people, not just Texas corporations and fat cats.

If the national Democratic Party wakes up and smells the coffee, they won't have to wait until 2016 or 2020 to put Texas in play, they can make it happen in 2012.

Feminine Presentation For Trans Women Is A Life Or Death Issue

TransGriot Note: My latest piece for Global Comment

My cisgender girlfriends tease me sometimes about the amount of time I spend perfecting my feminine presentation. They will also needle me about the lengths I will go to ensure it is as flawless as I can humanly make it.

But if they walked in my pumps for a minute, they would look at it in a fundamentally different way and understand why I and other transwomen place so much importance on a flawless as possible feminine presentation.

I know how to apply my makeup to compliment my face and own a set of makeup brushes to do so. I experiment with new ways and various color combinations to create my various looks. I own three makeup books for African American women that I refer to on a regular basis. One is written by Oprah's Emmy winning makeup artist Reggie Wells, another is by makeup artist Sam Fine, and my third is one authored by Patricia Hinds for ESSENCE magazine.

I go to the nail shop twice a month to have manicures and pedicures done and keep a few bottles of my favorite nail polish shades at home to touch nit up between visits. I keep my eyebrows plucked, waxed and arched and do relentless maintenance on it. I ensure that any body hair that shows up on my legs, arms and underarms is expeditiously removed.

One of the first things I did when I started transition in 1994 was spend countless hours and cash in my electrologist's chair getting my face zapped. I'm planning to get laser done to hit the areas that stubbornly will not die when my cash flow improves.

In addition to stuffing myself in foundation garments, every now and then I indulge myself and get some of my bras and panties at Victoria's Secret on sale. (My inner Taurus still refuses to pay full price for them.)

I get my hair done and in between trips to the beauty shop I have a wig collection that is approaching Regine Hunter levels. My shoe collection is constantly evolving and expanding, and I can comfortably walk and stand in heels up to 3 inches in height. I do it so well that I once had a cisgender female co-worker ask me if I could teach her how to walk in heels.

I'm always on the lookout for fashionable clothes and accessories to go with them at reasonable prices.

And yes, I shop for pantyhose in various shades and styles to complement and complete my look.

Even though I'm 15 years into my transition, I make sure my feminine deportment and gestures are on point, I'm speaking using a feminine speech pattern and maintaining a feminine pitch level.

Much of the rationale behind me doing this is because of my speaking engagements, Trans 101 presentations and lobbying. I'm also considered a role model in the trans community as well and the image I project to others is important to me and the community I represent.

Another reason is I simply wanted to be the best woman I can be and I enjoy reveling in my divatude. When you grow up in the wrong body, you tend to appreciate that suppressed femininity more when you finally get the chance to openly express it and live your life.

But one of the other reasons I'm so diligent about it is because in the back of mind, even though I'm consciously making the choice of projecting my evolving femininity in this way, I'm cognizant that performing my feminine gender presentation as flawlessly as possible impacts my life.

Read the rest here

Happy Birthday, Angie!

Today will probably be is a bittersweet day for Angie Zapata's family.

Angie would have celebrated her 20th birthday today. Instead, they will be memorializing her.

However, the family and the transgender communities in the Denver metro area, the state of Colorado and nationally will mark the occasion knowing that her murderer Allen Andrade is rotting in a Colorado prison.

Yes, justice was served, but unfortunately that doesn't bring back this beautiful young woman's life or ease the pain of her loss for all of the people who were blessed to have Angie in their lives.

Hopefully the message was sent in this trial and the recently concluded one last month of Dwight DeLee that it's no longer open season on transpeople.

One of the things we can do to honor Angie today is to redouble our community efforts in getting federal hate crimes and ENDA legislation passed.

We can also work toward doing a better job of ensuring that the American transgender community showcases all of the members and the talents of its diverse rainbow of people.

Happy birthday Angie. Say hello to all of our fallen brothers and sisters for us

Naomi Sims Passes Away

I was saddened to hear the news that pioneering African-American supermodel Naomi Sims passed away in Newark, NJ at age 61 after a battle with breast cancer.

Mississippi born Naomi broke into the modeling business in the 1960's and paved the way for other supermodels to follow in her footsteps such as Beverly Johnson, Pat Cleveland and countless others.

In November 1968 she became the first Black model to grace the cover of Ladies Home Journal. She was also among the first to be represented by the Wilhelmina agency and went on to model for designers such as Halston during her career.

In addition, two photographs of her are featured in the The Model As Muse exhibit currently on display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Her photos also graced the covers of Life and ESSENCE magazines as she became an icon of the 'Black Is Beautiful' movement.

Naomi was also a successful and savvy businesswoman. After leaving the modeling business in 1973, she published five beauty books and in 1976 launched a multi-million dollar wig line aimed at African-American women bearing her name. A decade later she launched a successful cosmetics line.

She opened doors for future models of color, and her family, the fashion industry and others will definitely miss her.

Louisville Smacked By Record Rain

Know some of you have heard the reports on the Weather Channel about the record rain that's caused some serious flooding in town. We got whacked by a record six inches of rain in one hour earlier this morning as a nasty thunderstorm passed through the area.

While we have a respite from it now, we have another severe thunderstorm headed this way.

The creek that parallels I-64 left its banks up the road from me at Grinstead and Lexington Rd. There was some minor flooding in the basement of our house, but it's been taken care of and contained.

Downtown got the worst of it, but no part of town escaped the rain. The Downtown library branch got hit hard and has two feet of water in it. Some of the hospitals in the downtown area experienced flooding and had to evacuate patients.

Parts of the University of Louisville campus and Churchill Downs are flooded. I-65 at Arthur St, where the freeway dips slightly near the Fairgrounds curve before it climbs to the elevated section that runs through the Old Louisville neighborhood south of downtown to the Kennedy Bridge over the Ohio River was closed for several hours.

Keeping my fingers crossed and tuned in to the local news stations as we get ready for Round Two. Will keep y'all posted as long as my connection to The Net stays up.

'Jeremy's' Compensation For Jacked Up Guam Prom Denied

Remember 'Jeremy', the gay student on Guam who was denied entry to his prom because he was wearing a dress while female students were allowed to enter wearing tuxedos?

Jeremy's quest for getting reimbursement for the $400 spent getting ready for that aborted prom night at George Washington High School has been denied.

This tempest is also occurring as Guam's legislature is embroiled in a contentious debate over whether to allow same gender unions. The US Western Pacific island territory, whose slogan is 'Where America's Day Begins', decriminalized homosexuality in 1979.

It also has laws in place banning all discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Jeremy identifies as gay instead of trans, and told KUAM-TV News he felt discriminated against by school officials.

"I said, 'Where does it state in this rule in this paper that there's no cross-dressing, no individualism and no opposite genders? It doesn't say anything'. And that's wrong," he said.

Jeremy recently met with school officials about the matter to demand a refund on his ticket and on the items he purchased for the event, as well as a public apology. He says the over $400 he spent on clothes, shoes, hair, nails and makeup getting ready for the prom all went to waste because he wasn't allowed to attend.

While they granted the refund for his ticket, the school has balked at the refund for the items Jeremy purchased and the public apology.

George Washington High School principal Begona Flores stated: There's no need to make a public apology, because we weren't the ones that put it out in the public. He was the one that did so. There's no need for a public apology from any of us, according to legal counsel."

Flores then let her homophobia and transphobia seep into the comment by adding: "He knew the attire. This is for male, this is for female. And he made the conscious decision to buy something else. So why should we be responsible? You cannot pick and chose when you want to be. You want to be this, then not this time. When you start picking and choosing, there's no consistency here. And so we cannot blame other people because when I see Jeremy here, he's a boy."

Jeremy has apparently dressed in female clothing and expressed his gender as female while in school, so school personnel say they were not unreasonably surprised when he arrived at the prom in a gown.

All Jeremy wants is fairness in the system. He wishes to ensure all people are treated the same and not differently because of their sexuality.

Flores insists that it is the decision of the Department of Education and the Guam Education Policy Board to come up with any trans specific policies to ensure this doesn't happen again.

But she added: "I am not going to personally put myself in that position (of drafting a policy) because I don't believe in it. I don't believe in it because I have my own (personal) beliefs and I am not going to deviate from them."

Ms. Flores, I believe your personal beliefs are why you're so intransigent on giving Jeremy a refund on the money spent and an apology for your staff's heavy handed and inconsistent actions that evening.

If you and the Guam school board end up in court and suffering an adverse legal verdict directing you to pay more than the $400 Jeremy's request plus still have to apologize, you'll have no one to blame but yourself.

Happy Birthday President Obama!

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday Mr. President
Happy birthday to you!

Today is the 48th birthday of President Barack Hussein Obama, who those of us in the reality based world know was born in Honolulu, Hawaii USA on this date in 1961.

So it wasn't a surprise when over the weekend a so-called 'Kenyan Birth Certificate' dated March 1964 was produced by the wacko 'birthers' that claimed the president was born in Mombasa, Kenya.

Only one problem. Mombasa was part of Zanzibar in 1961.

The other glaring errors apparent to anyone who passed a history class is that Kenya didn't become an independent nation until December 1963 and didn't call itself the Republic of Kenya until late 1964.

E.L Lavender, the alleged name of the registrar is from the name of a laundry detergent, and it gets wrong the ages of President Obama's parents.

And oh yeah, wasn't the prez's mother a student at the University of Hawaii at the time?

Yeah, this birth certificate is about as authentic as a Fox News broadcast and the rapidly declining credibility of Lou Dobbs.

To you racist birthers, you have an intelligent Black president who is doing more in six months on the job than your boy George Walker Bush did in eight disastrous years.

And oh yeah, y'all hate the fact President 44 garnered more votes than any president in US history and won a decisive victory in doing so.

You sheet-wearing Google illiterate paranoid delusional clowns lost big on November 4. The country resoundingly rejected your failed political philosophy at the ballot box and is saying no to mean-spirited racist conservatism.

Deal with it.

Happy birthday Mr. President. May you have many more.

Lie, Lie, Lie, Lie, Lie, Lie!

Back in the 90's there was a comedian by the name of TP Hearn who used to make people laugh with his rapid fire repetition of the word 'lie' when he talked about many jacked up life situations in his hilarious routines.

That lie,lie,lie,lie,lie,lie routine comes to mind every time I see a GOP politician these days flapping his or her gums.

It seems like the GOP know nothings have just made the decision that since they have nothing constructive to offer or their own plans, combined with a\severe case of Fear of a Black President, they'll just destroy the onea the Democrats have come up with by any means necessary.

It also seems that they've made up their minds they'll just say anything to accomplish that goal.

Even if it isn't the truth.

Sarah Luiz Interview Video

The 50's had Christine Jorgenson as a transgender newsmaking icon. In the 60's it was April Ashley and Coccinelle. In the 70's it was Renee Richards and Caroline 'Tula' Cossey.

In the 80's Sarah Luiz was one of the newsmaking transwomen of that decade. Sarah first burst onto the scene with her very public fight to have her SRS covered by her Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, a battle she eventually won.

Sarah was also hitting the talk show and interview circuit during the 80's and early 90's. In addition to being an inspiration for the transkids and others like myself grappling with the issue at that time, she spread the word that all we transwomen wanted was to live our lives out like everyone else with a minimum of drama.

Here's one of those talk show interviews from the Jane Whitney Show.



Thanks Sarah for standing up and fighting for us then so we could stand tall now.

Contestant No. 2

You know I love pageants and have documented on TransGriot the various transgender ones around the world that happen.

We've had some fierce debates about the relevance of them and will have them again. I still line up on the side of people who see pageants as a stepping stone to a better life or for who winning them is their dream.

So with that being said, I was intrigued by an episode of PBS Wide Angle documentary series called 'Contestant No 2' which began running on PBS July 29.

It documents the story of Duah Feres, a young Arab-Israeli Druze woman who dreams of a life beyond her Galilee village. Her decision to enter the Miss Israel pageant triggers a chain of events that impact Duah, her family and her village.

It also leads us to ask the question how far can an idealistic youth trying to live her life and achieve her dreams go to challenge the conservative mores and attitudes of her people? How far will the older generation go to enforce their will and their values on her?

It was a fascinating documentary to watch. You feel for Duah, who literally put her life on the line to do it. It was filmed in 2006, so I'm wondering what Duah's life is like now.

But I don't want to spoil the Wide Angle episode for you, so I'll let y'all watch it for yourselves and comment below.

Sally Jessy Pageant Show

Transsexuality was and still is a popular talk show topic, especially during sweeps months. While Jerry Springer went to the Dark Side of the ratings force on these issues, other talk shows such as Jenny Jones, Cristina and Sally Jessy Raphael tried to keep the stories they did on the subject respectful and informative.

Here's an early 90's one in which they held a pageant on the Sally Jessy Raphael show. Brought back some memories because my late Texas homegirl Tandi Andrews is part of it.

Ah Kua Show

I was surprised when I received an e-mail from Leona Lo, my sis in Singapore a few months ago with a request. She asked me to compose a comment for the program of her Ah Kua Show she was putting together.

In case you haven't been following the progress of it on her blog, the Ah Kua Show is a play she wrote based on her life which will run from August 6-8 at the Substation Theater.

I was deeply honored to be asked to write the commentary by one of the people in the worldwide trans community I admire. I felt it was my small way of being a part of the show even though as much as I would love to, I couldn't be there in person to support it.

For those of you in the Singapore area, better hurry if you want tickets to the show. Two nights are already sold out and not many tickets remain.

The comment I wrote is underneath the Ah Kua Show poster. Leona, thanks once again for giving me the opportunity and honor of composing it.


Hello Patrons of the Ah Kua Show and greetings from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky!

I am Monica Roberts, a 15 year transitioned African-American transperson originally from Houston, Texas. I am a longtime activist, the editor of the TransGriot blog, and a 2006 winner of the IFGE Trinity Award. I’m only the third African-American transperson to receive the second highest honor given by the United States transgender community for outstanding service.

I’m deeply honored to have been given the opportunity by Leona to share a few words with you as you peruse the Ah Kua Show program. I wish I could be in Singapore watching the play with you.

Contrary to the negative message being pushed by the Forces of Intolerance around the globe, being transgender is nothing to be ashamed of. We are part of the mosaic of humanity and it is something to be embraced with pride.

It is past time that our fellow transpersons and citizens around the world realize that we are beautiful, talented and intelligent people with much to offer the societies of the various countries we inhabit if just given a chance to do so.

I’ve often said that a transperson’s family expands, not contracts after we transition to become the beautiful people we were made by our Creator to be.

I’m proud to have Leona Lo as part of my worldwide extended family, and I wish her and the Ah Kua show much success.

An Early 90's Springer Show On Trans Issues

Believe it or not, once upon a time Jerry Springer wasn't a name reviled by transpeople. He used to do trans shows that were informative and respectful to the persons involved.

I'm bringing it up because I stumbled across this early Springer shows which illustrate just how far he's slipped in terms of respectful coverage of trans people.

When Jerry Springer first started his talk show in the early 90's modeled it on Phil Donahue's award winning show. Up until 1994 he actually had guests that didn't fight or audiences that didn't spend the entire show shouting derogatory comments at the people on stage.

Springer audiences listened respectfully as the issue was debated and he'd close with his Final Thought.

Unfortunately he turned to the Dark Side of the television ratings force in his bid to become Number One and get paid.

Angie Fenton

Another installment in my ongoing series of articles on transgender and non-transgender women who have qualities that I admire.

I first encountered Angie not long after I moved here to Da Ville. I was in love with her feature writing for C-J's Velocity minipaper and began reading it religiously. I was happy for her when the Courier-Journal wisely moved her up to edit their celebrity news column called The Buzz. She also ended up getting some TV time at WAVE 3 in that role as well.

As part of her Velocity duties she was covering the 2003 Derby Bash I attended. Her petite figure was hard to miss in a sexy pink skirted suit and pumps while sporting a stylish pink Derby hat.

Three years later I finally got to meet her in person. Dawn and I were featured in a Louisville Courier-Journal article on trans people she authored. In putting that article together we got to know Angie the person and liked what we saw.

She is a classy, funny, determined and intelligent lady that is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Dawn and I both were enthusiastically happy to call our friend after the C-J article was done and later published.

Like the TransGriot, she moved to Da Ville. She's had her challenges in life but to paraphrase Maya Angelou, and still she rises to overcome them and thrive.

You can't help but admire someone like her. Every time Angie's terminally cute self tells me she wishes she had my height, I reply I'd like to be her for a minute.

This busy lady is a competitive bodybuilder in addition to teaching at a local college and writing The Dish column for a local paper called the Voice-Tribune.

Angie Fenton is definitely one of the women I'd love to be when I grow up.

Frenchy's Is 40!!

In the process of doing some research on my fave Houston eateries, I discovered that one of my favorite places to partake of the yardbird celebrated its 40th Anniversary on July 3.

Percy 'Frenchy' Creuzot and his wife Sallie opened the Scott Street Frenchy's location in 1969 as a humble po-boy sandwich stand. He's served up his Creole style chicken, Creole seasoned Frenchy fries, po-boy sandwiches and other Louisiana Creole treats and sides to millions of hungry Houstonians.

It goes without saying that Frenchy's founders, Percy and Sallie Creuzot, are extremely humbled by how Houston has embraced Frenchy's over the past 40 years.

"We are thankful to the Houston community," said Mrs. Creuzot on the Frenchy's website. "We have been able to maintain our family business and make good friends along the way."

It was and still is by far one of my fave places to eat. Dad would sometimes stop by on the way home from work and pick up a huge box of Frenchy's chicken for us to eat on Friday nights.

Since the Scott Street location is located halfway between the Texas Southern University and University of Houston campuses, throughout the years myself and other hungry college students along with kids from nearby Burger King High (oops, Jack Yates High) would buy our Campus Specials and get our grub on.

As I keep reminding you peeps, I'm a proud Jesse Jones Falcon. We don't like anything that wears red and gold.

And since the Scott Street location is next door to Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, be prepared to wait if you hit it immediately after Sunday services conclude.

Frenchy's even went Hollywood for a moment. If you remember the movie Jason's Lyric that starred Allen Payne and Jada Pinkett Smith that was set in my beloved hometown, you can see a glimpse of the Frenchy's Scott Street location because Allen Payne's character's mother worked there.

Frenchy's has become an iconic part of Houston, and has spread its Creole seasoned wings to include seven locations around town. The last time I was back in H-town in 2005 it was one of my first stops before heading to my mom's house.

Yo, can somebody from H-town please FedEx me some?

Congratulations to Frenchy's for 40 years of great eating. May you continue to live up to your ad slogan of 'The Taste That Lasts Forever' and be around for the next generation of Houstonians to partake of your delectable Creole seasoned food.

Whataburger

Every now and then I get a little homesick and start missing all things Houston. While I can always head to the local Walgreen's to get my fix of Blue Bell Homemade vanilla ice cream, there are other guilty pleasures of mine that can only be picked up in the proximity of the Houston area.

One of the pleasures of living in Texas that I most definitely miss is Whataburger. I had one three blocks up the street from my old apartment that I frequently visited.

If I was fiending for a double Whataburger with bacon and cheese at 3 AM I had no problem taking a little walk up Bissonnet or hitting the drive thru lane to indulge myself.

I love their milkshakes, but had to back off of them and the nocturnal Whataburgers for a while when my weight climbed to 275 pounds in the early stages of my transition.



So what's Whataburger? It's a Corpus Christi based slice of Texas that has been around for over 50 years and is open 24 hours to the delight of us party animals, third shifters and night owls.



Damn, I'm getting homesick just thinking about it. Time for some Blue Bell.