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It's that time of year again...time for holiday cheer, time with family and friends, being part of a mob of Santas walking through downtown Galveston...

Join Islander By Choice Saturday, December 12 for the 2009 Santa Pub Crawl. We'll kick it off at 7 p.m. at Molly's Pub on Post Office St. with additional stops at regular intervals all evening.

To stay on Santa's good list this year, there are 2 rules:

1. Come dressed as Santa. Hawaiian Santa, Sexy Santa, Traditional Santa...all Santa are welcomed but the more the merrier.

2. Got some random things around the house you don't need anymore? Old magazine? Borrowed screwdriver from your neighbor? Wrap it up and add it to the community gift bag. People expect Santa to come bearing gifts, who are we to disappoint?

Please feel free to invite friends and spread the word. Got questions? Email will@ibcgalveston.com and he'll get you lined out.

Be sure to swing by our Facebook page and drop us a line if you're planning on coming!

If we don't get to see you on Saturday, Happy Holidays to each of you from us at Islander By Choice!

Don't forget that this Saturday, Nov. 21 is the Free Tree Giveaway for 2,000 trees!  See the announcement below.  Also, here's a link from the GCDN regarding a new ordinance for plantings in the right-of-ways.

Galveston Re-leaf: Free Tree Giveaway on November 21st

Free trees will soon be available to Island property owners who lost trees to Ike's salty surge last year.

Nearly 2,000 trees will be given away to Galvestonians on Saturday, November 21st. The trees were donated by the Tree Folk of Austin, Apache Foundation, and Randalls.

WHAT: Galveston Free Tree Giveaway
WHEN: Saturday, November 21st - 9a.m.-4p.m., and Sunday, November 22nd (if there are remaining trees) 1-4p.m.
WHERE: Galveston City Hall parking lots 823 Rosenberg

Stipulations: Trees will be given away on a first come, first serve basis. Limit two trees per address. Identification and a city utility bill with a Galveston address are required. Recipients must sign an agreement to plant in Galveston and care for the tree. Trees may only be planted on private property; not in the city's right-of-way. A variety of tree species, selected especially for Galveston, will be available at the giveaway. Large species include live oak, Mexican white oak, Mexican sycamore, and sweet gum. Smaller species include mountain laurel, Mexican plum, loblolly pine, and a fruited pear. Each tree is potted in a 5-gallon container. Planting and care instructions will be provided. Additionally, mulch from the City's recycling center will be available for free. Members of the City of Galveston's Tree Committee and the Galveston Island Tree Conservancy will be on hand to load trees and offer planting advice. More volunteers are needed.

Please contact David Schuler at (409) 599-7578 to help with the giveaway. Donations to assist with replanting Galveston will be gratefully accepted.

Contact: Ken Steblein
Phone: 772-3500
 

New Galveston merchants Fit 2 Run are putting on a "MAKE ROOM FOR THE TURKEY!"  5K run/walk/stroll/roll on Friday, November 20, 2009.
 
This is a fun, social event (just like the Harvest Moon & Margarita run), and your participation will help assist our local Gleanings From the Harvest in providing Thanksgiving meals to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Galveston County!
 
MAKE ROOM FOR THE TURKEY! will start and end at Mario's on the Seawall.

* begin running/walking around 6:30pm, please show up earlier

* entry is $15 for anyone ages 13 & over (this is whether you participate or attend for support and cheering). under age 13 are free.

* entry includes t-shirt, food, eligibility for door prizes and fun activities for children.

* cash bar available

* they ask that each person who attends (regardless of age) donate a non-perishable food item for this event. PLEASE bring this food item with you on Friday, November 20th, to Marios.

* they will provide a reflective band for you to borrow during the event, but invite you to wear your reflective gear and/or bring a flashlight or glow sticks. Remember, it gets dark early. (Fit 2 Run also has some fun and functional reflective items - they really make a difference!)
 
TO REGISTER - please print the 2nd page of the form (download the form), fill it out and turn it in one of the following ways:

* bring your form FIT TO RUN along with your check (payable to FIT to RUN) - they prefer you bring it in....we like to see your smiling faces!

* mail your registration form & check: FIT TO RUN  528 23rd St, Galveston, 77550

* fax the form to: 281-605-1995 and bring your check with you to the event
 
Feel free to call 409-539-5150 with any questions. They are looking for volunteers to help spread the word around town as well.
 
Learn more at: www.Fit2RunGalveston.com
 

Ok here's the situation....  I'm an Islander by Choice.  I love Galveston.  I support Galveston.  And here i am, on one of the best tourist weekends and festivals that is Lone Star Bike Rally, encouraging people to go off the island?!?

Actually, I'm not.  If i had my druthers, every Galvestonian would be downtown drinking beer, eating sausage on a stick, and reading lips.  I love the Lone Star Rally! 

However, it has come to my attention that, in some cases, people can get their fill of it.  If and only if this case arises with you and yours, take the drive over the causeway and up to..... GULP.... Houston..... to see the Wings over Houston Air Show at Ellington Field.

 

They're going to have an AV-8 (Harrier) demonstration, (for all of you True Lies debunkers), A10's, a C-17, and many others.  The Heritage demo will feature war planes from the Doolittle Raiders, the European Theater, and the Korean / Vietnam era.  The encore is none other than the Blue Angels. 

 

If you've never seen this group of F/A-18's, you might want to go ahead and scribble it down on your bucket list because they are some sight to see in action.

Once again...... Don't go to this Event on October 31st and November 1st from 8:00 - 5:00!

Claire and Ashley, fantastic job on the traditional dunking of the Aggie ring this weekend.  We were proud to witness it.  Whoop! 

This is a different kind of chug I'm talking about now, though.

The kind that goes "chugga chugga, chugga chugga - cho cho"!!!!

Tomorrow, Tuesday - 6-8pm at the G-town Convention Center - be there!:

 Mobile Society: Attend Galveston-Houston I-45 Corridor Mobility Open Houses this Week  

The public is encouraged to attend and participate in a series of open houses to discuss mobility issues along the Galveston-Houston I-45 corridor.  These meetings are a part of the planning process and an important local step in the pursuit of federal funding to address growing traffic congestion.  Three workshops will be held to solicit public feedback:

 Tuesday, September 22, 2009

§         6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

§         Galveston Island Convention Center , Ballroom A

§         5600 Seawall Blvd. Galveston , TX , 77551

 

Four potential transit alternatives have been identified for consideration.  Over the next nine to 10 months, the project team will evaluate public comments provided at the public meetings and through the project website, www.galvestonrailstudy.com.  Additionally, comments can be sent via email to: info@galvestonrailstudy.com. 

 

This study is sponsored by the City of Galveston , Galveston County , and the Federal Transit Administration and is being coordinated with Harris County , the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the 11 cities in between Galveston and Houston .

For those of you who don't subscribe to the Houston Chronicle or who don't read it online (I just scan & utility-read it myself), check out today's edition!

Bistro LeCroy owner, Tommy LeCroy is featured among others . . .

http://blogs.chron.com/hurricanes/2009/09/ike_back_on_the_strand.html

You know, I've been curious to see what media coverage was going to look like - will the coverage highlight how far we've come as Islanders or will it showcase devastation and how far we've still to go?  But the big day will be Saturday.  What are you hoping for in terms of media this week?

 

With so much going on this upcoming week and weekend for Revival & Reflections, I'm a bit overwhelmed.  So, I'm trying to look at each activity one-by-one so I don't miss a thing.

The first annual Artist Studio Loft Tours is going on, put on by the Artist Homestead Galveston Island and sponsored by the Galveston Historical Foundation.  AHGI is a local organization comprised of Galveston artists, friends, neighbors, local business owners, real estate agents, and community leaders who seek to attract artists to live and work on the Island.  You can check them out at www.artisthomesteadgalvestonisland.com  

Here's the info on the tour coming up:

Artist Homestead Galveston Island Presents 1st Annual Artist Studio Tours 

September 12 from 1:00-5:00 PM.  Admission is $5. 

You can purchase tickets in advance online or at the studios themselves.

Studios on Tour:

• Janet Y. Hassinger, MFA  3510 Ave. S 1/2
  Watercolors Investigating a Unique  Perception of the Coral Reef
• Stephanie Thomas, Artist  1109 25th Street
  Works in Clay for Homes and Gardens
• Sallie Anderson 1605 24th Street
  Watercolors Reflecting the Excitement of Everyday Things
• Jul Kamen 1506 21st Street
  Contemporary Quilts Add an Extr Dimension to a Renovated Galveston Corner Store
• Gayle Reynolds, The Water's Edge Studio & Gallery 1302 21st Street
  Paintings which bring you the charm that is Galveston
• René Wiley Studio/Gallery 2128 Postoffice Street
  Colorful Oils Presenting Galveston's Abundance of Alleyways, Birdlife and more
• V. Starke/Art Market  2001 Postoffice Street
  Expressionist Art touching on women's issues and creating mood in abstract
• Martha J. Terrill 1214 14th Street
  The Art of ArrangingThings in New and Interesting Ways- Fantasy in Assemblage
• Beachtown Open House- East Beach Drive
  Exhibit of Pre and Post-Ike Photography
  
   

So lots going on this Saturday during ArtWalk that I thought I'd pass along. . .

1st - check out the still new art gallery, Local Color Galveston "Where Local Artists May Expose Themselves."  Mondo and I visited the owners, Katy & Darren Cleveland a while back.  Loved the new space and really enjoyed meeting these new IBCs and their children.  Great addition to the art scene and the great people scene on the Island.  You can find them at 120 20th Street in downtown Galveston (down from Somewhere in Time).

2nd - the Galveston Art Center (who are sponsors of ArtWalk) will be in their temporary new location on 25th St. in the old Maceo Spice storefront.  Remember to go check them out too.

3rd - Did you know that a few weeks ago in the beginning of August, 18 teams of architects and designers from the Houston area got together at Rice University to look at Gtown's Seawall?  Their task was a design competition around a site along the Seawall that is a "hingepoint" between downtown and the beach.  Competitors had 8 hours to come up with a design idea that works for locals and tourists! The 18 designs are going to be on display for one night only during ArtWalk!  Go check it out!  Apparently many of the designers and judges will be there.  It's from 6pm to 9pm (during ArtWalk) on this Saturday, August 22 at 2326 Strand (in the fantastic Sealy-Hutchings Building next to Luigi's)  Check out the group who organized this awesome idea, Rice Design Alliance at www.ricedesignalliance.org
 

<<UPDATE (AUGUST 11, 2009): The City of Galveston has lifted the TCEQ required Boil Water Notice for all areas on Galveston Island west of 81^st Street, including Treasure Island in Brazoria County.  City officials are instructing area residents and business owners to flush their own water lines by turning on indoor and outdoor faucets, both hot and cold taps, and allowing water to run for several minutes.  Similarly, citizens are advised to discard several trays of ice cubes from automatic icemakers.>>

According to this morning's city press release, an electrical fire that broke out at the airport pump station in the wee hours of the morning is to blame for "significant damage to the electrical circuit" that powers the water service facility to the Island, west of 81st Street.  City officials believe the fire started as a result of latent Hurricane Ike damage

Although (as of 5pm today) water service had been restored to the west end, all areas west of 81st Street are STILL on a boil water notice (for drinking and cooking).  Once the City has sampled and tested the water in accordance with TCEQ regulations, the notice should be lifted. 

At that time, residents and business owners will need to flush their own lines by turning on indoor and outdoor faucets, both hot and cold taps, and allowing water to run for several minutes.  

Stay tuned for updates about the boil notice being lifted...  

Russian Soccer Fans Urged to Drink Whiskey to Ward Off Swine Flu Virus (summary: drinking = good health, at least no swine flu)

Go green - go in the shower (summary: peeing in the shower makes you ecologically sensitive)

Collectible COLBERT Space Patch Sells Out (summary: this is what it takes to get America interested in Space exploration: cartoon images of Stephen Colbert. yikes.)