Galveston Blue Pearl

04/20/2024

Oyster shells were used for driveways when I grew up in Beaumont. I'm glad there is a much better use for them now.

04/01/2024

This weekend's Steampunk festival is so cool. Where else can you blend Victorian dress, sci-fi and the steam era?

Fans of the steampunk aesthetic will assemble for this 3-day fest celebrating the sci-fi subgenre that crosses Victorian-era tech with retrofuturism. Throughout Saturday, fans can take in live music and […]

03/16/2024

I hate to see iconic businesses close, especially one so attched to the Heights. The Art Car Museum is ending soon.

Houston Heights's Art Car Museum will close after almost 30 years in operation this April, following the deaths of its founders.

03/15/2024

Woodland Heights Home Tour coming up in about 10 days. Woodland Heights has a lot of Craftsman bungalows, so several of these on display, but also one old storefront. An old grocery store with faded Coca Cola sign on exterior wall.
I seldom go on these tours...they feel too much like a normal woork day of showing homes in the Heights.

“Homes with Heart” features 7 historic homes

03/15/2024

We all love seeing these hapless little turtles rescued, then returned to the gulf.

More than 350 spectators lined the beach Pocket Park No. 1 in Galveston on Wednesday to watch 12 green sea turtles be released into the Gulf of Mexico.

02/20/2024

Now that Mardis Grasis over and before Spring Break starts we have a quiet period for reflecting. It's a good time to view some of the returning art works of "Washed Ashore".

Spy larger-than-life animal sculptures at the free "Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea" exhibit daily through Sunday, March 31. 2024.

02/05/2024

Galveston Mardis Gras strted with rain, but now going strong.

The festivities on the first weekend of Mardi Gras! Galveston were in full swing across the island Saturday with numerous parades thronging the streets.

02/03/2024

The city of Galveston is quietly making a name for itself in the world of cruising. With a steady increase in cruise ship arrivals over the years, it's clear that the industry is taking notice of our Texas port city. We averaged just ove one cruise departure per day.

Port of Galveston welcomed 1.49m cruise passengers in 2023, based on a total of 2.98m embarkations and debarkations, a 42% increase from the year before.

02/03/2024

Another new development planned for Galveston. The Margaritaville Resorts seem to be popping up everywhere.

Attention Galveston Parrot Heads: a Margaritaville Resort is coming to the island.

01/25/2024

During our recent freeze, I, like everyone else was concerned about “pipes, pets and plants”. The pipes on my 8 year old Galveston beach house were much easier to protect than those of my 100+ year old Heights home.
The plants were given minimum protection. The pet (Brutus) was brought in. The feral cats were provided heating pads. All went well.
I protected my little world, but I am so glad others had the foresight to protect other animals. Heights bats and Galveston sea turtles were being rescued too.

Texans weren't the only ones bracing the bleak weather over the past few days. Unconscious bats and sea turtles were rescued in the Houston-Galveston area after being found stunned in their habitats.

01/25/2024

Galveston Restaurant Week ends Sunday, January 28th, 2024. This 20 day long "week" featuring some 3 dozen island restaurant draws to a close this Sunday.
It's an opportunity to sample special dishes from great restaurants you might not have tried yet.
Mardis Gras is coming up soon, so a last uncrowded weekend is ahead.

Explore the island's vibrant food scene at Galveston Restaurant Week 2024! Find out which restaurants are participating in restaurant week and other details here.

12/14/2023

What is there to do in Galveston this weekend (Dec 15th, 2023)?

Things to do in Galveston this weekend of December 15, 2023 include The Polar Express Train Ride, Breakfast with Santa, and lots more!

02/08/2023

This is amazing. Maybe somewhere in the country it is common to have a gathering of tall ships, but I have never seen it. It happens in Galveston though April 13th - 19th, 2023. Five other tall ships join Galveston's Elissa for the 2023 Tall Ship Gulf Coast Challenge.
This is a must see for anyone drawn to the water. # galvestonairbnb

fleet of tall ships will sail their way along the Gulf Coast to participate in the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Gulf Coast 2023 series, with public maritime festivals held in each […]

02/07/2023

Washed Ashore is a traveling exhibit on display now in Galveston. It is art made from washed up debris: trash turned into art. I took the photo of Gum Drop Jelly Reef in front of the Grand Galvez, the second sculpture is at Moody Gardens. There are 19 total sculptures around the island. They won't be around much longer, through March 5th, 2023.

Washed Ashore - a traveling art exhibit in Galveston Island this winter - is aimed at educating the public about the hazards of plastic pollution in the

02/06/2023

The oldest surviving home in Galveston, The Menard House is open for tour (ticket purchase from GHF required) on two coming Sundays, February 19th and 26.

These docent-led tours will speak to the people and stories of some of the island’s early history at the 1839 Menard House.

02/05/2023

Lots of parades scheduled for Mardi Gras Galveston over the next two weekends.
February 10th - 12th and February 18th - 20th, 2023. Parades on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of both weekends.

View the parades for Mardi Gras! 2019 Galveston. See the schedule for all of the parades.

02/04/2023

Galveston Mardi Gras heats up with parades scheduled next two weekends.
The island is already covered in purple green and yellow. Just waiting for the crowds.

Your guide to planning your Mardi Gras! Galveston parade experiences.

01/24/2023

Galveston Mardi Gras! It is that time of year again. February 10th-21st, 2023.
You should have your room booked by now.

Mardi Gras! Galveston is a 2-weekend event that includes live entertainment, parades, balcony parties, and more.

01/23/2023

Galveston Restaurant Week (s) continues until February 3rd. It is time to check out places you have been wanting to try.
It is easy! No tickets or passes are required! Food lovers may simply dine out at as many participating restaurants as they like during Galveston Restaurant Week. Two or three-course dinners will be priced $20 to $60, two-course lunches will be priced $10 to $30, and brunches will be priced $10 – $40.

List of Participating Restaurants Experience cuisine that delights your palate and defines the art of dining during Galveston Restaurant Week, January 9 – February 5, 2023. Every winter on Galveston Island, this beloved culinary tradition features discounted prix fixe menus from dozens of Galvesto...

01/23/2023

Galveston offers a lot of tours. It's time to look at these for the year ahead. My grandson loved the Dolphin Tour last year, so need to plan more. Act like a tourist!

Looking for Galveston Tours for your next Galveston Island adventure? Then this list of discounted dolphin tours, ghost tours, & more is for you!

10/26/2022

Battleship Texas
I don't know why I am so obsessed with this ship, but I love it! Perhaps it is the history or the power it represents. Maybe it's being the son of a WWII navy vet (Submarine SS-192, the Sailfish).
Whatever the reason, I have visited this ship many times in LaPorte and now I can watch it from across the harbor as it is being restored in Gulf Copper's drydock.

10/06/2022

It takes a lot of money and effort to keep an island alive. Not just for tourists, but for the whole estuarine system. I love to hear about our island marshes being restored and expanded. A sterile, concrete island would not be much fun.

American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) recently presented the 2022 Best Restored Shores Awards highlighting natural infrastructure projects addressing storm related coastal hazards.

10/06/2022

The battleship Texas has always fascinated me. I'm glad she made the trip to Galveston drydock safely.

A group of friends decided that an historical event was one they could not miss last month.

09/17/2022

https://www.galveston.com/calendarofevents/40th-annual-island-oktoberfest/

Galveston's premier fall festival - the 40th Annual Island Oktoberfest is scheduled for October 21-22, 2022. This fun, family weekend will feature: continuous live entertainment on 2 stages, an expanded menu of authentic German food and libations, Cake Wheel, shopping for fine arts, crafts and gifts...

09/16/2022

https://www.galveston.com/calendarofevents/galveston-island-shrimp-festival-2022-calendar/?occurrence=2022-09-23

The fan favorite Galveston Island Shrimp Festival presented by Galveston Shrimp Company returns to the Strand this September for its 13th consecutive year. This event is hosted by Yaga’s Entertainment Inc., and is a celebration of Galveston's great wild seafood and island lifestyle. Guests can enj...

07/23/2022

Massive Wind Farm Proposal off Galveston.
This is just my opinion, but... If you thought the previous Solyndra boondoggle was breathtaking, wait until you see the massive taxpayer drain this will be. Politicians and all their friends will make fortunes on this, while we get to pay for it.
Costs for offshore wind turbines are VERY expensive. If you think gas-generated power is expensive now, just wait to see our rates after project completion. I'm sure it will save-our-planet though and get rid of a lot of CO2 generating seabirds at the same time.

The area covers 546,645 acres, which could produce enough energy to power 2.3 million homes.

07/02/2022

Drones instead of fireworks! I would love to see this. I have my beach house rented for the next couple weeks though, so will have to watch on TV.

Island chooses drones for their Fourth of July show because of their safety and limited environmental impact.

06/26/2022

Grandson Zach at my beach house. He loves to visit Grandpa now.

06/24/2022

Galveston State Park fully re-opens this Monday, 6/27/22. Finally, after years of Beach-side renovations, the entire park reopens.
I used to camp here when I was young. I later brought my kids here for day use. When you have little kids you need access to showers and restrooms. Now I walk to it from my beach house in Palm Beach.
It has been a stretch of empty beach for so long now (since a hurricane wiped it out) that I don't know what it will be like. I enjoyed having a mile long almost-private beach to myself.
But it is much-improved now. Even the bay side has some upgrades.
After watching bulldozers push sand around for a couple of years, one more hurricane project is finished!

After three years of major renovations, the park is welcoming visitors back to its beloved beach.

06/14/2022

I never get tired of the beach. Whether it is playing in the water, walking a couple miles, or just listening to waves, it is always soothing. Grandson, Zach loves it too, as does constant companion, Brutus.
The beaches won't be this desolate again for a while, but little Palm Beach subdivision never gets crazy like East End or Jamaica Beach.