Of, relating to, or characteristic of ships, shipping, sailors, or navigation on a body of water.
an-tique(n-tk)
n.
An object having special value because of its age, especially a domestic item or piece of furniture or handicraft esteemed for its artistry, beauty, or period of origin.
Put these two words together, add a couple of hard-nosed swash-bucklers, and you have one of Galveston Island's most unique shopping experiences.
Nautical Antiques & Decor (2202 Mechanic), owned by Adrienne and Michael Culpepper, boasts some of the finest sea worthy relics around. The shop specializes in everything nautical from boat oars to maritime signal flags, antique pieces of ship, and other unique flavor-ful floatation devices.
And if you don't feel like walking the plank, fear not. There's plenty of other things for land-lovers to sink their toes into.
Be sure to check 'em out next time you're downtown. They're just a block off the Strand. Or find them online at www.piecesofship.com.
Yikes. Beware of strange things today. As if things could get stranger on this sandbar.
It got me thinking. What strange things have I experienced since living in Galveston? For your reading pleasure, here's a few...
One Xmas Eve the lady and I were traveling down our street with a friend returning from an errand and lo and behold what did appear (nope, not Santa and his magic reindeer)? Coyotes. In the middle of our street. In the Silk Stocking District. Classic.
And then there's the time I played chicken (you know the driving game where you drive toward one another and whoever swerves away is the chicken) with "wheel-chair Ricky" (local homeless fella prior to the storm) at a gas station. Sucker wouldn't move as I pulled in to grab some gas. He just sat there, so I kept inching closer to him until he realized (in his stupor) that he wasn't winning against Mr. F-150. Just silly.
Watching a funnel cloud from our gay-bour's front porch as it danced out over the Gulf (it, in fact, made its way on land and tore apart Dolphin World on the Seawall). Sheesh.
Shortly after we moved into our house there was a spell that I constantly woke at 3 a.m. every night for months it seems. I never quite figured out why. Even after walking through the house to see if I was supposed to "find" something or someone. Crazy.
And finally, last Halloween night I watched a young man get tazed. Not once. But twice. Now that was a strange night. Strange indeed.
So IBC received an email this week from a used-to-be-frequenter of the Island who hadn't been back since Ike struck. He informed us that he and his family were traveling down for the weekend and they wanted to know where to stop to eat and drink that wasn't a tourist bother. After some discussion I emailed him back with a few spots to check out that most tourists may not indulge in.
I mentioned that Postoffice Street between 20th and 25th would not disappoint (plenty to eat and drink along that stretch, including some of the neatest shops).
Sonny's at 19th and L (the quintessential hole-in-the-wall).
And Bistro LeCroy (which although on the Strand still seems to be a hidden delight).
And let's face it, when August rolls into town and the heat feels like you're walking through lava, all you want to do is find a nice cool place to sit and enjoy yourself with food and drink.
I know to find some of the local haunts it seems like you need a treasure map (even for this local), so I'm asking. Where is your favorite local lookout?
Last night my lady friend and I ventured with friends over to Bolivar Peninsula. I'll tell you this, for starters, the ride there was "ferry" hot (weak, I know, but we enjoyed making as many "ferry" references as possible during our float over... let's just say I enjoyed it a scoche more than the others).
(Back on track) In actuality the ferry rides were tolerable (although the mosquitoes got a little rabid during the night time trip back). It seemed to take less time than I remembered.
Our destination at hand was dinner-ing at the Stingaree restaurant. Now I haven't really set foot on the peninsula since my baby's mama and I honeymooned there way back in 2002. And I also realize that ol' mister Ike brought the warpath. But I must say, Bolivar seems to be alive and bustling. And I say this based on the experience we had while dining at the Stingaree. I mean, after all, shouldn't the crowd at a restaurant be able to tell you something about how things thrive in a town? I think so.
The place was packed. So packed that after we were seated (by a window with a thrilling view of the waterway where we enjoyed watching barges and skiffs droll by) we had to wait about thirty minutes before we made them assign someone to our table. Apparently our decision of heading to the Stingaree on what we thought was an "off" night was the same decision everyone else had. But we managed fine (as our beers arrived and a nice crispy basket of buttered toast, and of course nothing but frozen lemonade for the pregnant lady). I mean c'mon, we're Islanders, so we know about a little thing called Island time. But I think we were ready to gnaw on each other's fingers by the time our food arrived.
All in all, we really enjoyed our time on the peninsula. It was a swell outing. Good friends. Very interesting conversation (to be a fly on the wall). And tasty sea creatures cooked in various fashions. Oh, and a slab of meat for my lady.
So if you ever you get a hunkering for something different float on over and visit BP and make a memory.
Not really folks. No secret here. Just a big ol' FYI.
The City of Galveston is in the process of adopting the 2009 update to the International Building Codes. So make sure before your contractor starts swinging a hammer that they're hip to the update.
Public meetings are scheduled in order to fully educate the public as well as a chance for contractors to mix it up in a Q&A session with City staff. All meetings will be held at City Hall in Council Chambers (room 200) as follows:
Just yesterday, while driving Postoffice Street returning my lady friend to work after lunch, I got stuck behind a slow moving tourist from out of state obviously hunting tree sculptures. Of course I cursed them.
"Get the BLEEP outta my way! Um. But thanks for visiting the Island. (Insert smal polite wave here) Teehee."
So whether you're coming in from out of town and looking for something to do, trying to set up a gathering of professionals, or just a local looking for an unknown secret about Galveston, the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (the CVB) is there to help.
The main focus of the CVB is to generate interest in visiting Galveston Island and creating interest in the use of Galveston and its facilities for meetings and conventions. Did you know in order to accomplish this task the CVB has a satellite office in Austin? Yep. This office helps the CVB reach a broad spectrum of meeting planners.
Closer to home, the CVB has assisted Islander By Choice in each of its first two years putting on the Galveston Island Beach Revue, and IBC hopes to continue to utilize this service. The CVB also is one of the main sources of advertisement for the Island. You may have seen their commercials on TV promoting the Island as a vacation destination.
All in all, without the CVB Galveston tourism wouldn't be what it is. And even though locals (this one in particular) may curse the tourists, deep down we all know they're an important part of what makes this Island what it is.
And you thought all our Bathing Beauties could do was strut their stuff rain or shine. Well think again.
Jazz Cousins, the 2010 Beach Revue Modern Category 2nd Runner Up, is hard at work for NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) aiding the recovery efforts dealing with the Deepwater Horizon incident. See her picture below from the Beach Revue and click the link to watch her in action working for NOAA.
Still need an idea for a summer getaway? Well I've got your answer. Come to Galveston and spend some time at the historic Hotel Galvez & Spa located at 20th and Seawall. The Galvez, built in 1911, is the oldest hotel on the Seawall and therefore boasts plenty of history and will not disappoint. As a matter of fact, my lady friend and I spent a birth-a-versary (that's right, birthday/anniversary) there recently, so it's even good for a stay-cation for locals just looking to get out of the house for a change.
Obviously, since the hotel has been on the Island so long it has gone through changes in ownership and survived storms. Most recently, Island legend George P. Mitchell owns the hotel and is enjoying bringing the Galvez back to its glory. Since the storm, the Galvez has completed its renovation of its new spa and pool areas (top notch by the way). And the most recent project is the replacement of the windows to mimic those the building originally had.
What I like best about the historic Hotel Galvez & Spa is that its outside beauty is mirrored by its inside. There's almost no where you can go in the hotel that isn't exquisite, from its lobby and bar to its finest suites.
So, tourists and Islanders alike can't miss by planning a stay at the historic Hotel Galvez & Spa. And tell 'em Islander By Choice sent ya (it won't get you anything... except maybe a smile).
For those of you who haven't heard yet, local Galveston Daily News reporter Rhiannon Meyers and ex-reporter Leigh Jones have written a book detailing certain accounts and aspects of Hurricane Ike and it's aftermath. Infinite Monster (the name of the book) hit stores this week and already seems to be garnering praise. It promises to delve into the storm in ways other Ike books have yet to do, after all, it's from a local's perspective.
I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. And better yet. You can buy the book and get it signed this evening at the Galveston Daily News main office (8522 Teichman Road) from 4-7 p.m. And if you miss that, stop by The Admiralty (2221 Strand) tomorrow from noon-4 p.m. for another chance to meet the authors and get a signed book of your own.
Locally, the book has been well received so far with spots on the morning TV show for Houston Fox 26 as well as a radio interview on KUHF Conversations.
So Islanders, be sure to support local and get yourself a copy of Infinite Monster. Read it. And stand even taller for being able to call yourself an Islander By Choice.
More often than not I find myself traveling through town and stumbling upon sites or places I've never been to, or noticed for that matter. It amazes me how many times this happens, even on my normal everyday trips down Postoffice and Church streets while driving my lady friend to and from work. Whether it's a house, a new tree carving, or a new street walker.
I know I can't be expected to canvas and know/recognize all the different parts of town, but I still enjoy pointing to something that I've probably passed by before and thinking "well wouldja look at that... where did that come from... how long has that been there?"
This mainly happens to me when I'm cruising through the neighborhoods. Historic districts mainly. A certain house will all of a sudden, for some reason un-be-knownst to me, jump out at me.
I also enjoy lazily going through parts of town that I don't frequent and stumbling on new finds that way. I love to drive through Cedar Lawn from time to time and crawl along its narrow winding roads. And even though I don't get out there much, I enjoy driving through the West End of the Island so I can appreciate the different way of life.
It just seems that of all the places I've lived in my life that Galveston maintains a quality of stay-a-bility.
Think about. Ever noticed something you've never noticed before?
Looking for great gift ideas, authentic island made apparel or need to replace your favorite t-shirt post-Ike? Look no further than Islander By Choice apparel! Click here for our current inventory!
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