Galveston Monthly - Exploring Your Island Paradise

This Month

Creative Duo Behind the Lens

Water’s Edge Digital Photography features the work of co-founders Nikki Andrus and Stephen Thompson and has garnered the attention of those who live on Galveston Island as well as those living beyond the island’s shores. Together the photographic duo of seven years has transformed their love for photography into a thriving business. Based in Galveston, Texas, the two showcase the island’s beauty.

Galveston Island Market

The Galveston Island Market, a beloved institution showcasing local artisans, live music, and community spirit, has entered a new chapter under the leadership of Jennifer De Ranieri. De Ranieri’s blend of digital savvy, deep community roots, and passion for sustainability helps ensure that the Galveston Island Market will remain a cherished gathering place for years.

Rail Cars to Patio Furniture

As traffic moves down Broadway, many people glance through the windows of SunRay Patio Furniture, at the corner of 51st Street and Broadway, to admire the brightly colored offerings. Most don’t give a thought to the simple building SunRay calls home, or to the colorful history it holds. Clues to the past are easily visible to visitors who enter the store, however, and those who work there are proud of the structure’s heritage.

Merlot For The Masses

As fall begins and cooler temperatures set in, Merlot is ready to take center stage. This wine is one of the red Noble Grapes of Bordeaux that also include Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is often described as soft, lush, and fleshy which makes it a good blending partner for the more tannic Cabernet Sauvignon, but it is also satisfyingly delicious on its own.

Historic Gardens In Full Bloom

Get ready to immerse yourself in Galveston’s natural beauty and rich history at the annual Fran Kelly Fall Garden Tour hosted by the East End Historic District Association. Chairperson Jill Peveto and her dedicated committee have spearheaded the event for eight years and strive to uphold the tradition in honor of Fran Kelly. The garden tour was started by Kelly in 2009 to restore the neighborhood after Hurricane Ike.

Remembering Island Bowl

Opened in February of 1961, Seahorse Bowl was situated just north of 35th and Seawall Boulevard, behind and adjacent to its namesake, the Seahorse Motor Inn. The motel was a showpiece of the Seawall for decades that featured curved panoramic glass walls and the height of affordable luxury for the time. Torn down in 2005, it was located on the currently undeveloped lot along Seawall between 33rd and 35th Streets.

An art gallery, a fish taco haven, a cigar lounge and bar, and a neighborhood bar are the latest to join the island’s scene

Each month, Galveston Monthly compiles a list to keep its readers up to date on what’s new and cool on the island. What’s new in the neighborhood this month? Four new Galveston establishments are now open for business.

Start your afternoon with lunch at the newly opened Fish Company Taco. Then plan a visit to the Anne Lane/Dahlia Wood Art Gallery where the work of featured artist and Galveston’s celebrated muralist Gabriel Prusmack is on display as well as the brilliantly colorful work by Lane and Wood. Then, wind down with drinks and late-night snacks at the Social Tap Kitchen & Cocktails, and finish your evening off with a premium, hand-rolled cigar from Havana Harbor Cigars on a balcony overlooking Galveston’s beautiful Cruise Terminal.
Read More

Galveston County Museum Celebrating Archeology Awareness Month

Museum offering free pinch kits to make pottery to children who visit the museum during the month of October

In the state of Texas, October is Archeology Awareness Month. The Galveston County Museum has partnered with the Texas Historical Commission to offer free pinch pot kits to children who visit the museum during the month of October (while supplies last). Pinch pots are a simple method of making pottery used by ancient people from around the world. These kits include instructions.

Native Americans known as the Karankawa lived along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Archaeologists have uncovered pottery at several area sites. The Karankawa were known to use a material called asphaltum on their pottery. Asphaltum is a naturally found tar-like material and they used it to decorate, paint, or seal pottery.

Pottery was fired in pits, and sometimes crushed bone was added to the clay which made the pots stronger and less likely to break. Each piece of pottery was decorated with unique symbols and markings. The Karankawa used pottery and other utensils for cooking and storage just as people do today. The pinch pot kits the museum will be giving away contain clay that will air-dry.

So, bring your kids to the museum, learn some local history, and take away a pinch pot kit to make at home. The Galveston County Museum is free to visit on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, from 10am to 4pm. The museum is located inside the county building at 722 Moody (21st Street). Parking is free all around the building. For more details visit www.galvestoncountyhistory.org.

Home & Garden
Enjoy inspirational interiors, decorating and gardens from those that help shape Galveston Island style.

Food & Drink

Where to find lunch, brunch, dinner covering casual to fine dining. These places are not afraid to try new things. Hope you're hungry.

Arts & Culture

Beaches aren't all Galveston has to offer. Local theater productions, contemporary art exhibits and other family events that always inspires.