When the Alamo Drafthouse announced that noted mixologist Bill Norris had joined their team as beverage director this summer, it seemed obvious that he'd take the cocktail menus at Alamo Ritz and The Highball to a new level. What was less certain was how the Alamo would employ Norris' knowledge in their many venues without a hard liquor license. This week brings us a perfect example of what Norris and Chef John Bullington have been concocting. more ›

In Myna Se Va (Myna Has Gone), the title character is an illegal immigrant who is trying to care for her charge, a young boy who has been seriously injured while his parents are away. Oh, and there's a dog whose leg has been lacerated by a tuna can . . . or so Myna tells the vet before she steals tranquilizers to then use on the boy. more ›

• Deaths reported as plane skids off runway at Madrid airport
• Hua Guofeng, who succeeded China's Chairman Mao, dies at 87
• Obama and his new VP choice to campaign together on Saturday

Okay, before we begin, there are some things we must know about El Guincho. First of all, El Guincho is one man, Pablo Díaz-Reixa, and he named his album after the uninhabited island of Alegranza, which is at the northeastern tip of the Canary Islands, which are—of course this is common knowledge—an autonomous domain of Spain located on the west coast of Africa. Díaz-Reixa is from these Canary Islands, and, via Barcelona, he creates swirling and excitable indie pop using loops and samples and an amalgam of musical influences ranging from Benga (Kenyan traditional music) to Bhangra (Indian folk) to any brand of tropicalia that flies well above the head of our good friend Jimmy Buffett. more ›