SETX.com Events Book

take one

january 2015

S o u t h e a s t

T e x a s

E v e n t s

Losing Weight, Gaining Life in the

New Year Thanks to a New Team at

the Medical Center of Southeast Texas

Plus

100 Things to do in SETX in 2015 Birds, Brides & The Big Thicket Celebrate Epiphany Meet Tic Price

january 2015 10-17

features A Winning Team Makes for Some Big Losers Here in Southeast Texas 6-9 Fill the 365 Days of 2015 with 100 Activities- Berries to Ferry RidesYou’re Gonna Have Fun! 10-17

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26 27 28 28 29 29 31 31 32 36, 37

d e pa rtm e n t s Infographic Wining Pin-Tested On This Date in Southeast Texas Word of the Month Southeast Texas Somebody Social Seen Hobby Time Go Out SoutheastTexas.com Stats Sneak Peek Cartoon Corner The Last Word

18, 19 20, 21 21 21 21 22, 23 24, 25 29 30 33 34 37 38

3827 Phelan Boulevard PMB 112 Beaumont, Texas 77707 409.201.9934 SoutheastTexasEvents.com Publisher Paul Chargois

events Performing Arts Visual Arts Entertainment Free Fun Sports & Recreation Kids Corner Charity Praise & Worship Business & Networking Event Listings

a publication of SoutheastTexas.com

Editor-In-Chief Shelly Vitanza Editor Beth Gallaspy Creative Director Tina Breland Art director Therése Shearer Web Content Managers Dominique Delgado Amy Dowdy Kathleen Gantner Account executive Renee Cox circulation Don Shellenberger

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from the cover Susie Salinas is a big loser…of weight! She lost 94 pounds after bariatric surgery. She is one of three women who tell their stories of weight loss success after bariatric surgery on page 6. Read about them and a new “Gain-Life” team at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas that is working one-on-one with patients to help them lose weight and get healthy for 2015 and forever.

Photo by Jim Debes

Subscribe to the EventsBook If you would prefer to receive your copies of the EventsBook in the mail for one year, please send $19.95 to: SoutheastTexas.com, 3827 Phelan Blvd., PMB 112, Beaumont, TX 77707 Include your mailing address.

We list all events for Free. We are the one calendar for Southeast Texas.

For the latest and most exciting events, visit us at

www.SoutheastTexasEvents.com.

photographer Jim Debes contributing writers Beth Gallaspy Courtney Mleczewski Gerald Patrizi Scott Renick Kate Strickland Melissa Tilley Emily Wheeler Advertising Information: For advertising, please contact Renee Cox at 409.781.3603 or rcox@southeasttexas.com.

To list your event on Southeasttexas.com: Visit Southeasttexas.com, click events. Under the Calendar tab, click “Submit an Event,” or email us at events@southeasttexas.com.

Copyright 2015, SoutheastTexas.com. All rights reserved. All contents copyright 2015 Virtual Communities, Inc, The Events Books, SoutheastTexas.com.

All rights reserved. EventsBook is a monthly publication. Events shown are from SoutheastTexasEvents.com. Priority listing is given to SoutheastTexasEvents.com’s member organizations. Other events are listed as space allows.

For additional information on the events listed in the EventsBook and other events not listed, visit SoutheastTexasEvents.com.

SoutheastTexas.com is not responsible for any discrepancies or changes that may have occurred since the publishing of this issue. Every effort has been made to ensure accurate information at the time of publication, however, this cannot be guaranteed. SoutheastTexas.com recommends visiting SoutheastTexas.com or contacting the represented companies to determine availability of service and to confirm date, time, location and other related event information. All submissions of editorial, photography, advertising and event information are accepted only without risk to the publisher for loss or damage.

january 2015

Editor's Letter

New Year’s Goodness From Boo Sheet

N

ational press about living in Southeast Texas was negative in 2014. Although it’s distressed me, and I’ve considered commenting either here or on Facebook to express my disbelief of the facts and/ or make fun of the conclusions of published studies, (like the super scientific result of Twitter analysis which stated Beaumont and Port Arthur residents are the most depressed because they use more curse words in Twitter messages than anyone else) my sentiments couldn’t be concisely presented until just recently. I got a phone call that provided great clarity on the negative press issue and actually inspired the entire direction or theme of this EventsBook. Hopefully my experience will help us all see things as they really are in the New Year.

While running holiday errands my phone rang. I got a new car in 2014, and it syncs with my phone while I’m driving. I think it’s pretty darn cool and almost always answer it even if it’s a number I don’t recognize, so I answered this 201 area code caller.

The thick Middle Eastern accent said he was calling from the grants department of the United States federal government (Isn’t D.C.’s area code 202?); he asked, “How doing today?”

“Peachy keen,” I said, already realizing the potential for drive-time entertainment.

“I’m excited to tell that the grants department of the United States federal government is awarding 1500 people $9000, and you name has been selected,” he explains, never saying my name and mentioning his alleged affiliation again.

“Really? How wonderful. Now let me get this straight,” and I repeat everything he has already said.

“Yes,” he confirms. We are practicing reflective listening, a great communication tool for conflict and negotiation situations, where each communicator repeats statements of the other for clarity and understanding.

“Now how did I get selected from all of the millions of people in the U.S.,” I asked.

“The grants department of the United States federal government is awarding people who are good citizens (“good” sounds like goo) and have never filed bankruptcies,” his explanation is as plausible as the Twitter study.

Again, I practice reflective listening and repeat everything he has said from the beginning to the most current explanation for my selection and, again, he participates by confirming. “Yes,” he says.

“And what do I have to do to get my $9000 from the grants department of the United States federal government for being a good citizen and never filing bankruptcy?”

It’s all that’s left to ask, right? How do I get my money?

“I just need to get some information from you.” Of course you do, I think.

“Great, but first let me tell you something,” I say.

“Okay,” and he pauses and waits.

“You are calling Southeast Texas. I don’t think you know where you’re calling, but here in Southeast Texas, we are better than everyone else in the country at sniffing out bulls—t and I sniffed your bulls—t with your first word,” I say in a very calm and friendly voice, intentionally emphasizing and drawing out the BULL with my most southern accent. I have totally enjoyed the dialogue.

“You brain full of boo sheet. You full of boo sheet,” comes the screamed reply and then click, ending the call and my fun.

But within seconds the enlightenment hits me like a New Year’s Day hangover. The theme of the call “Boo Sheet” is the theme of the year of negative press. Nowhere is information in the national press about the goodness of our area – the melding of cultures, the richness of our history, the friendliness of our peoples, the work ethic and the natural resources, which are great now and positioned for more greatness in 2015 and beyond.

And so there you have it, that’s what this EventsBook is about – the goodness of our area. Check out our infographic providing real numbers – not guessestimated hypotheses – about the quality of living in Southeast Texas, the resources we have and how these resources are benefiting us now and into the future.

Also we’ve pulled together SOME, not ALL, but SOME of the 100 things you can and should do this year. This is not an all-inclusive list; there is so much more but it’s a great start. Check it out. You’ll also find, in this book, how a new team at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas is helping people get and stay healthy, not to mention improve their quality of living and, in some cases, extending their lives.

January is a month of great events, and we have details from a unique exhibit at the Museum of the Gulf Coast to wine night at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, the Harlem Globetrotters at Ford Park and the Bridal Show at the Beaumont Civic Center.

It’s all good for 2015, and that’s no Boo Sheet!

Happy New Year!

yers a s y one a @then east Texas is South

! ! * @ !#!*

peachy

'all!

ce, y a l p n e ke

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Losing weight...

! e f i l g n i n i a G

By Shelly Vitanza

Weight Loss Champions at The

Once an elective and high-risk weight loss treatment, metabolic weight loss surgery, specifically laparoscopic bariatric surgery (a surgical procedure that reroutes the digestive tract and shrinks the stomach’s capacity, limiting a person's ability to overeat), is now a treatment for the disease, morbid obesity, and widely covered by insurance and Medicare.

The success of the surgery in curing not only morbid obesity but its comorbidities - diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea and chronic pain, to name a few – is allowing patients at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas to “Gain Life.” The center is the first in Mid and South County to provide a quality program that includes not just the surgery but pre- and post-op care to ensure long-term success.

“A lot of people consider it an elective procedure, but when you look at it from a clinical benefits perspective, it’s not,” said Piper Hale, quality director for the Medical Center of Southeast Texas. “It can save your life, extend LD your life and improve your quality of life.” , RD ek, MS, From the pre-op counseling to the specialized equipment Kelli Vac Dietitian ic tr a to make bariatric patients safer and more comfortable to the ri a B MT )(N), CN R ( RT post-op support group, the Medical Center of Southeast , is Calla ead, RN r vices h e e S it Deborah h g Texas is providing a holistic journey to successful weight W in g Ann of Ima edSurg/ M f Director o r loss.

They will soon obtain accreditation by the American to y Direc Telemetr d n a s n s College of Surgeons as well as the American Society of o ic ti ela Pediatr lli Public R & g Katie Ce n Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. ti e of Mark BSN RN Director “You (healthcare facilities) no longer have to be an , le Piper, Ha Ser vices ty li a u accredited center of excellence to perform this surgery Q f o uia Director Taby Deg Director and get paid. Medicare doesn’t require that. But we deing cided to go above and beyond and do this the right Purchas n ia Dorna y ) g P M C lo o S & way to ensure patient success,” said Hale. “I’m excited to A th d I( a Foo rge, BSM r y, Respirator y P ector of ir D work for an organization that is doing it the right way.”

Lori Geo s to e Ser vic of Labora Nutrition Director

set patients up for success t Suppor e f i L Gain

ber t Susie He r vices Director s Se Busines MSN, CNOR eth, RN, r vices Pam Pac rgical Se u S f o r Directo sen, RN sions Julie This irector of Admis D t n Assista

Team

Weaver Charles of ICU Director illy Tammy L tion of Educa Director

Bariatric Seminar Dates: January 13

April 14

February 17

May 5

March 3

June 9

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january 2015

Qualifications for Bariatric Surgery

In addition to qualified, accredited surgeons, a 13-member Gain Life Support Team consisting of medical specialists, including a dietitian and even a purchasing agent, has been formed and trained not just clinically but to care for the emotional needs of patients with one focus in mind – patient success before and after bariatric surgery.

“Each individual on this team has a part to play, but the goal is we’re all focused on the patient to provide their psychological, physical and spiritual needs,” said Pam Pacetti, RN, MSN, CNOR, director of surgical services. “Those three things are critical and give patients security, which is the basis to their success.”

Unlike other surgeries, like gall bladder surgery, for example, where a patient goes in one day to have the surgery and the next goes home to live the same day-to-day life, bariatric surgery is a tool to help patients change their lives. The procedure requires several months of preparation, psychological counseling, working with a dietician and exercise.

“This is not like quitting smoking or drinking. It’s harder because we have to eat to sustain life but need to be able to stop when it becomes a means of comfort and coping with stress and other issues,” said Hale. “I can sit at my desk at work and eat, but I can’t sit at my desk and drink or smoke. It’s socially acceptable to eat, but it’s not socially acceptable to drink in excess or smoke.

That’s what makes this lifestyle change harder and why a quality team is needed to support life-long change.”

The Medical Center of Southeast Texas offers regular seminars, the first step in the bariatric surgery process, to outline the criteria for having the surgery, risks and lifestyle changes required. (2015 seminar dates listed bottom of page 6.)

Life Gainers Three women, 339-pounds lighter, tell their stories of diet, failure, surgery and ultimate success. Meet Southeast Texas’ biggest losers – winners of quality lives.

BMI>35

Obese classification Calculation based on

weight and height

With “Co-morbid Conditions” BMI>40

Morbidly Obese classification

Changes that have to be made Pre- and post-surgical diets • Smaller, more frequent meals • Protein supplementation • Multivitamin and Calcium, occasionally Vitamin D • Family/Friend support • More frequent exercise • No smoking or anti-inflammatory medications • Minimize caffeine and alcohol intake

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Susie Salinas,

Vicki Tarnow

I was a little overweight in my 20s. I was always hippy and always had weight issues for as long as I could remember but gained pounds each time I had a child. When I had my third child, a daughter, I weighed 180 and just never lost it. Before I knew it I was 195 pounds. I was in and out of Weight Watchers and did every kind of diet that came out. I would lose a few and gain it back plus some. I ate out of boredom. I wasn’t hungry, but I’d look in the pantry and just eat. One day I weighed 220.

I never thought it would get to that extreme.

Because it was getting so I could hardly walk and I had shortness of breath, knee, back and feet pain, I started researching options. I read that the lap band procedures were high-risk and not always successful, and then I found out about the program at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas when I started working here. I learned that they wouldn’t attempt to do the surgery if I wasn’t serious. I had to do nourishment classes and stop drinking carbonated drinks.

I did it (bariatric surgery) in September 2005 on a Tuesday and that Friday, Hurricane Rita hit. They gave me a survival kit, protein shakes and a step-by-step program of what to eat. I was to drink plenty of water, and I knew what I could and could not eat. And I had a great support system in my family – my husband was awesome and helped me with everything and my kids, too.

I’m 126 pounds and have been. I have nightmares about gaining the weight back, and they wake me up, but after eight years I haven’t gained the weight back. I know I’ve been successful because of the good instructions, nutritionist and support group. I know if I have a problem I can call.

The hardest part was the pre-surgery diet and the emotional things - not eating when I’m bored.

I’ve made other changes. I exercise regularly, which I never did before; I read labels and don’t eat anything that has more than 11 grams of sugar in it. I haven’t had one carbonated drink and won’t. I eat so much better. My only downfall is Cheetos. I still love them.

I don’t miss my old life and have no regrets. I’d do it all over again. I love wearing nice clothes and not frumpy ones, shopping in the fours and sixes and not the 20s and 22s.

I gained my weight with pregnancy and never lost it and then started finding comfort in eating and as a way to deal with my emotional insecurities. I ate fast foods mostly – Burger King, Jack in the Box, sweets, candy, etc. Life moves fast in my work, and fast food is easy. I hated myself, and my self-esteem was very low. I was always little growing up but eventually just started eating and finding comfort in food. Food was my way of going through hard things. I have been overweight for about 30 years off and on. I had the lap band procedure in 1997.

Back then the bands were expandable unlike the new ones today. This one expanded so I could eat more; it didn’t work for the long term and had to be taken out, and I had to have hernia surgery and total bypass as a result of the band.

Ultimately I decided to have the bariatric procedure because of my grandbaby, Kenedy. She came along and was the light of my entire world. I wanted to live longer and take care of her and my daughter, and I was getting where I needed to work, but it was hard to get around. It was hard to walk. In the ER we’re on our feet 12 hours a day; my legs would be so swollen it was hard to pick them up. I was so tired when I got home, and my blood pressure was so high, I had to do something. My family has a history of heart issues, diabetes, and I didn’t want that. I have things to do in this life.

The hardest part was the eight-hour lecture I’d already been through the first time I had the surgery so that was done. The second time I had lots of support. It wasn’t bad this time around, except that I had to have the band removed and with that a Jackson Pratt drain. That was very painful. You feel like your insides are being ripped out, but I’d do it again. The pain is worth it.

Afterwards my husband was a drill sergeant and made me walk, which is very important after surgery. You have to get up and move around. Nurses don’t make good patients, and I didn’t, but I was out in three days and on the road to recovery from an eight-hour surgery.

I have some more weight to lose but enjoy picking out fun clothes and running up and down the hospital halls and not out of breath.

I eat high protein, low carb, low or no sugar. If I eat too much sugar, I get abdominal pains that feel like a heart attack. I can’t drink out of straw and never have carbonation. I used to love diet Pepsi but not anymore. I’d rather have water. I don’t miss those things I can’t eat. I know if I ate again I would get big again, gain the weight back. So I stick to a strict diet – low calorie, avoid sugar and caffeine which stimulates the appetite. I also stay on vitamins. That’s critical; I take B12 and several others.

This can fail. If you are not committed to change your lifestyle, you will not see optimal success. I am a testament to that.

58, Respiratory Therapist Weight Pre-Surgery: 220 Surgery Date: September 2005 Weight December 2014: 126

55, ER Nurse and Trauma Coordinator Weight Pre-Surgery: 286 Surgery Date: Lap Band – 1997; Bariatric Surgery – May 2013 Weight December 2014: 168

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Michelle Johnson

44, ER Nurse and marathon runner Weight Pre-Surgery: 262 Surgery Date: September 2005 Weight December 2014: 133 I was always small until I had kids. I mean my weight fluctuated, but I was never huge. Then I had two children within 15 months of each other, and I couldn’t get the weight off no matter what I tried – Jenny Craig, the gym, injections. It didn’t work. After seven or eight years of being overweight, I decided to have the surgery.

Surgery is the hardest decision you make. People say ugly things – “Oh, you’re taking the easy way out” – that used to tick me off. They haven’t walked in my shoes. Surgery is a tool not a fix. I was having to admit defeat and change my whole lifestyle, and I knew it would be what I made of it. I had to use it as the tool it is intended to be. It was hard after surgery recovering on the couch and seeing 82 food commercials. We’re large because food is the main focus.

It’s interesting because I wasn’t unhappy large. I liked myself, and people could like me for who I am large or not. But one day I had to park across the street in the parking lot and walk over to work. By the time I got to the ER entrance I couldn’t breathe. I had moved to Texas, and the weather was a challenge. The heat and humidity was hard on me, and I had a 6-month-old baby. I thought, “if something happens to me, I have these babies.” Ultimately that was my thing – two babies needed a mom.

I ate the wrong foods. That’s how I became overweight. I was grabbing anything I could because I was a busy mom. I finished off their plates of chicken nuggets. I was never an emotional eater; mine was just eating and then starving myself. The mirror was my worst enemy, and it still is. I still look in the mirror and see a large woman. It doesn’t seem to matter in my mind if I’m size 24 or size 4 or 6, I see myself as large.

I lost 96 pounds in the first six months and the rest over the next six months. I started running two years after surgery to tighten things up. The doctor had said after two years the skin will take care of itself and to be patient with that. It did, but I wanted to be muscular. I run now to cope with stress and emotions and run marathons.

You can’t have this surgery if you haven’t tried everything already. Insurance will pay if you have documented what you’ve tried and it hasn’t worked.

I do no drive thrus. If I want fast food, I park and go in.

Ninety percent of the time by the time I’ve parked and start to walk in, I’ve talked myself out of going at all. Like the others I’ve learned things that work for me. I carry a picture around of my large self to remember who I was and where I’ve come. I stick with a support group, and I drink lots of water. That is key. I have a much healthier approach to food.

It’s so social, food is, so when we go out with friends, I order a side of chicken fajita meat and guacamole or I split a plate with my husband.

I can now run to a code in ER and not get short of breath, and I recently did CPR for eight minutes on the stretcher on the patient - could have never done that before.

But I also wore a bikini at the lake. The first thing I did when I got skinny was go into Victoria Secret and spend $500 on everything that matched. I was like “I’ll take that and that and that and that.” I also got a tattoo and a belly button ring.

This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but I’ve learned to eat to live, not live to eat.

For more information about Bariatric Surgery and the Gain Life Support Team, call

1.877.765.WELL.

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things to do in southeast texas

If

at any time in 2015 you’re feeling bored, don’t think there is anything to do in Southeast Texas or you’re just wanting to fill some free time, reference these next few pages. On them you’ll find 100 things you can do in Southeast Texas throughout the entire year. Some things are seasonal, like picking blueberries at Griffin Farms, or annual, like going to the South Texas State Fair. Other things are daily – visiting a historic home or museum, and some are even free, like eating popcorn at M&D Supply.

The EventsBook team compiled some of our favorite things to do and then cut them to 100. Yes, that’s right; the list was longer than 100, and we had to chop it. That means we missed some things. This list is not all inclusive, so don’t be surprised if we come back with even more to do in the future.

We hope the list is educational and you find yourself saying, “I didn’t know about that,” and decide to venture to do something new, like kayak the Big Thicket River Rally, perhaps.

And then we also hope there are activities that you say, “Oh yea, been there and done that, and it was fun.”

One thing is for sure, we’ll be covering most of these exciting activities, events, happenings, performances, etc. throughout the year.

Now you have a blueprint for your year and ours!

1. Visit our Museums They’re so plentiful you’re close to one nearly everywhere you go in Southeast Texas. In downtown Beaumont, find the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, a fine arts museum with permanent and temporary exhibits, and next door the Texas Energy Museum, where historic mechanical figures tell the story of oil and energy. Down Main Street two more museums document history. The Edison Museum displays artifacts from the electrical industry, and the Texas Fire Museum showcases fire engines and equipment dating back to 1865. The newest museum in downtown is the Beaumont Children’s Museum located inside the Beaumont Civic Center and ready for interactive play for children of all ages. And did you know the Beaumont Police Department has a fascinating museum documenting the antics of crooks of the past? Continue the historic tour visiting the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum, a replica city from wildcatter days. The Clifton Steamboat Museum tells history from a different perspective, documenting the steamboat era as well as war veterans. The museum also has a Boy Scout display.

Go where the locals go – the Art Studio where you’ll find displays by local artists as well as rentable space where they work, paint and create; and the Beaumont Art League displays local art and photography. The newest museum is High Street Gallery, located in Beaumont’s on Victoria Street and featuring local artists. Local artists converge and display in Port Arthur at the Texas Artists’ Museum.

Discover all of the famous people who come from these parts starting with Babe Didrikson Zaharias at her namesake museum on Interstate 10. Then find a bounty of famous memorabilia at the Museum of the Gulf Coast. There you’ll find artifacts belonging to musicians, athletes and notable people including Janis Joplin and ZZ Top, Bruce Lietkze and James “Bubba” Busceme, Karen Silkwood and Jack Brooks.

On the campus of Lamar University, the Dishman Art Museum displays from its permanent collection as well as hosting temporary exhibits and serving as a teaching museum. Close to Lamar in Pipkin Park the Daughters of the American Revolution built and operate the Temple of the Brave commemorating World War I veterans.

Venture to Orange to see the Stark Museum of Art; not only does this museum house handwritten and illustrated rare books and manuscripts but a large collection of John Audubon works as well as western art, decorative art, American Indian pieces plus temporary exhibits traveling around the world. While in Orange schedule an appointment to the replica of small-town life in the 1920s at the Orange Cormier Museum.

The Cormier is just one of many little known museums outside of Beaumont; several outlying venues await your discovery. In Woodville, see the Heritage Museum Village, depicting the pioneer days, and the Allan Shivers Library and Museum, memorializing his governorship. In Kountze, find the Batson Oil Patch Museum, with oil field and drilling equipment, and Pelt Farm, which includes folk art. In Sour Lake, learn the local history at the Bertha Terry Cornwell Museum of Sour Lake History. The Calaboose Museum in Kirbyville is located in a historic jail and tells the local history also. Nederland is home to the Dutch Windmill Museum that tells the history of Dutch settlers as well as Nederland son Tex Ritter, and next door visit the La Maison Acadienne, a replica of an Acadian home with French heritage display.

Several museums have been erected in the form of monuments and include Sabine Pass Battleground State Park and Historic Site in Sabine Pass, commemorating a significant Civil War battle; the Veterans Memorial Park and Bridge, a unique cable-stayed bridge bearing the names of Orange and Jefferson County veterans from the Spanish-American War to

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Desert Storm; and the Italian Heritage Monument in Port Arthur dedicated to Italian immigrants.

2. Sup at Sunset It’s new on the Neches but this open-air casual dining destination called the Wheelhouse in Port Neches is ideal for sunset suppers.

3. Have Local Joe

Texas Coffee Company started making Seaport Coffee here in 1921 and still is.

We love this cup of joe. Sipping Seaport, or more contemporary Texas Coffee, gives you a tangible taste of the Golden Triangle.

4. Talk a Walk on the Wild Side Access the Big Thicket from River Front Park in downtown Beaumont and take the Ivory Bill, a pontoon boat capable of navigating the cypress-lined backwaters where 200 tree species, 47 mammals, 300 birds and many reptiles and amphibians are awaiting discovery. Get info at nechesriveradventures.org.

5. Boot Scoot Quick, quick, slow, slow…duck into a honky tonk like the Dixie Dance Hall in downtown or Beaumont’s latest hotspot, Jerry Nelson’s Hill Country Backyard Music Hall, and take a swing around the dance floor with a veteran or learn before you go at City Dance Center, the Health and Wellness Center or out in Sour Lake with Ronnie and Evelyn, longtime teachers. Give Ronnie a call at 409.287.3971…

No partner? No problem. Line dance weekly at the Best Years Senior Center.

7. Spend Time in a Blind You don’t have to be a hunter to enjoy the hunting experience. Camo up and sneak in to a duck or deer hunting locale before sunrise and then watch the world wakeup over the marsh or out in the pines. Duck and deer hunters are plentiful in these parts and are always willing to take stealthy spectators.

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13. Catch Beads and Excitement

8. Catch the Big One With 27 miles of beach on the Bolivar Peninsula, the coast is just calling for wade fishers. Pick a spot and cast away!

9. Cruise The Zoo This mile-long strip of beach on the Bolivar Peninsula is like spring break nearly every summer weekend. It’s where the partiers parade in cars, golf carts, jeeps and big trucks making for the best people watching in Southeast Texas. It’s an adults only kinda happening cause you just never know what you’ll see or hear. Let’s just call it creative individual expression.

10. Holler “swing, Batter Batter, swing” Our kids have talent, and our parents have passion. Come spring there’s no better place to experience the competitive side of the south than at a Little League baseball game. Bring your stadium seat and watch ’em swing. Burgers, pickles and popcorn are exceptional at most volunteer-run concessions, so bring some cash. Catch some thrilling, elite play at Ford Fields nearly every Sunday in the spring.

11. Get a Sugar High Since 1941 Rao’s Bakery, now with three locations, has been serving sweets in Southeast Texas.

Savor their coffee - Jamaica Me Crazy and Dancing Goat are super – and order a King’s Cake for Mardi Gras, but regularly nab a nibble of their sugar cookies.

12. Walk in Nature Approximately 40 miles of hiking trails wind through Big Thicket National Preserve; trek a 0.3mile boardwalk or head out for 15 miles.

6. Peel and Eat March 15 to Easter is prime crawfish season in Southeast Texas. All the neighbors are firing up their aluminum boiling pots in the backyard and cooking up mudbugs with corn and sausage, potatoes and onions, mushrooms and garlic…go to one or be the house to host.

Catch the excitement and more beads than you can carry or wear Feb. 12-15 in downtown Port Arthur for Mardi Gras – carnival, parades, food, costumes and live entertainment.

14. Participate in Preservation Beaumont’s Oaks Historic District hosts "Our Town: Preserving the Past" traditionally in the spring. The drive, bike or walking tour highlights the historical jewels in one of Beaumont's oldest communities. Each participating house tells its story.

15. Find the Best Hummus Among Us Abbie’s Imports is Southeast Texas “finest Mediterranean Deli and Grocery.” Everything from the tabouli to the baklava is delicious, but the hummus is out of this world. Eat in or get it and go.

16. Star Gaze During a Concert This year at Ford Park you’ll have a chance to watch a baseball game and ride a Ferris wheel, see professional soccer games and hear the thunder of Monster Trucks. The entertainment complex is Southeast Texas’ most versatile venue. And even if you’ve done all that, there’s nothing like lying back on the green grass under the Texas stars at a live concert. Jason Aldean is coming to Ford Pavilion May 15, and lawn seating is available! It’s a 2015 must do.

17. Hear SOST at the Julie In its 62nd season, with an award-winning and enthusiastic conductor, Maestro Chelsea Tipton, performing in an elegant theater, the Julie Rogers in downtown Beaumont, the Symphony of Southeast Texas is part of the local music scene you don’t want to miss. Concerts to conclude the season are Jan. 24: “Musical ‘Tails’ Remixed” – Classics Series, Concert 3; Feb. 21: “SOST Goes to the Movies” - Pops Concert and April ??: “Rach’ On!” - Classics Series, Concert, 4 18. Relive the Rush The Sixth Annual Exygon & Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon, Half Marathon and Kinsel Ford 5K is March 7 at the Montagne Center. Run 26.2 or walk the 5K, but join the fun!

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19. Make a Classic What better place to see a classic movie than in a classic movie palace? The Jefferson Theater at 345 Fannin was built in 1927 and refurbished in 2003.

The City of Beaumont runs movies there regularly for only $5.

20. go to the gators

See ’em, touch ’em and even wade in the water with ’em! Alligators! There are 350 at Gator Country, Beaumont’s gator adventure park.

Open daily with shows.

21. See How We’ve Lived The historic homes in Southeast Texas tell the story of founders, settlers, laborers, oil and lumber barons, businessmen and women and families who called these parts home and left artifacts and treasures for us to enjoy and explore from the simple to the opulent. Go on a historic journey starting where it all started at the John Jay French House Museum, a pioneer’s home established in 1845 and beautifully preserved. Another founding home is La Maison Beausoleil located Port Neches City Park. Built around 1810 in St. Martin Parish, La., this authentic Cajun-architectural-style home was transported via barge down the Vermilion River south to the Intercoastal Canal then west into the Neches River to its location today. Compare the simplicity of these two pioneer homes to the 14,000-square-foot Queen Anne home built in 1894 by William Henry Stark and located in Orange – The W.H. Stark House. Fifteen rooms of the home have been preserved with the family’s original artifacts and furnishings, and the home features a distinctive turret, stained-glass windows, and ornate woodwork in cypress and long leaf yellow pine. Observe the lifestyle of a middle-class family living from 1900-1929 at the Heritage House Museum in Orange and that of a hardware store owner at the Chambers House in Beaumont. It was built in 1906 and family occupied until 2003 which accounts for its extraordinary preservation. Around the corner from the Chambers House, be awed at the exquisite McFaddin-Ward House in Beaumont’s Old Town built in 1905-06 in the Beaux-Arts Colonial style. It’s three-stories, lavishly decorated and

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one of the grandest homes ever built in the area.

Another grand home is the Brown Estate, now the Brown Center of Lamar State College-Orange. It is a replica of a late 1700s antebellum plantation situated on 62 beautifully landscaped acres. Completed in 1956, the home comprises approximately 20,000 square feet and was designed after the famous antebellum Linden home in Natchez, Miss. Discover the two-story, colonial revival style home built in 1902 with wrap-around porches both upper and lower floors, the winding staircase and 48 impressive Victorian style columns at Kirby-Hill House in Kountze. A very different home was built in Port Arthur in 1900, the Pompeiian Villa, reminiscent of villas in ancient Pompeii, a Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Today it is furnished with 19th-century furniture, chandeliers and fine art.

22. Love Some Lotus Buu Mon Buddhist temple was the first Buddhist Temple established in Southeast Texas, now located at 2701 Procter St. in Port Arthur. It is a beautiful venue featuring a 7 foot tall gilt bronze Buddha seated on the altar in front of a fresco mural of a Bodhi tree on a river’s shore and internationally known for the tropical and hardy lotuses and water lilies it grows. The first weekend in June, the temple hosts a Lotus and Garden Festival.

24. Follow the Orange Glow Come Oct. 1 Southeast Texas glows orange with charity pumpkin patches. The biggest are located at Wesley United Methodist Church on Major at Folsom, Faith United Methodist Church at 18895 FM 365 Road in Fannett and Nederland Apostolic Church, 1308 South 27th St. in Nederland.

25. Solve a Murder Twice a year, spring and fall, a historic home museum that is also a bed and breakfast, the Kirby Hill House in Kountze, opens its doors for a murder mystery dinner theater. The quaint fundraiser features local actors for Bogie-type entertainment.

26. sample sacredness Named a State of Texas treasured historic site, Saint Anthony Cathedral Basilica is as spectacular as it is sacred. Regular services are available.

27. Sip Suds Craft beer rules the Art of Beer every October at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. Sud sampling includes exotic and hard-to-find brews, food pairings and local live entertainment.

28. Pull weeds One hundred percent of every vegetable and fruit picked at the Giving Field, located at the base of the

23. Feast on and at Festivals

We celebrate our people, culture, food, land and resources fervently and often. From rice to gators, jazz to pecans, crabs to crawfish, our festivals are family friendly and one of the joys of living in Southeast Texas. Nearly every month of the year, there’s a festival or two. Pick one or do them all.

March: Nederland Heritage Festival Art in the Park in Orange April: Neches River Festival Mauriceville Crawfish Festival Eco-Fest at Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center Port Neches RiverFest May: St. Michael Mediterranean Festival Texas Crab Fest June: Buu Mon Buddhist Annual Garden Festival Kinsel Lincoln Jazz+ Blues Festival

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Maury Myers Bridge and 11th Street, is donated to one of two soup kitchens – Some Other Place and the Port Arthur Hospitality House. With tens of thousands of pounds donated in the last two years, you can imagine weed pulling is needed. All hands are invited anytime, but the second Saturday of the month is weeding Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

29. See Spirits in Saratoga Between Beaumont and Livingston in the small town of Saratoga, go to the north end of Farmto-Market Road 1293 to watch for the Saratoga Ghosts or the Light of Saratoga, the famous, mysterious lights that periodically appear in this dark Big Thicket town.

30. Experience Madness at Midnight The City of Beaumont hosts the annual public bicycle ride, Moonlight Madness, for ages 6 and up usually in May. Join the fun starting at Rogers Park, traditionally around 10:30 p.m.

32. Try What OLIVE us Love Jason’s Deli brought muffalettas to Beaumont; the least we can do is eat these one-of-a-kind delicious hearty sandwiches! OF course we LOVE everything at Jason’s because they’re homegrown.

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40. Jive Cajun Style

33. Meet on the Midway Ride the rides, see the rodeo, eat the midway food and win prizes at the games – the YMBL South Texas State Fair is March 26-April 5 at Ford Park and one of the most anticipated family events of the year.

34. Tour the Eco-Crows The largest scarecrow festival in Texas is hosted at Shangri La Botanical Gardens every October and November. Individuals and organizations build scarecrows from recycled and repurposed materials resulting in a creative collection of wacky, weird and imaginative creatures displayed throughout the beautiful 252-acre garden.

A Cajun band is always playing, and the boudain balls are always hot at Larry’s French Market in Groves. This unique restaurant, 35. Become a Rainbow 31. Ride the Waves The Julie Richardson Procter Color Rush Rib- where you can order off the menu or eat the It’s a free boat ride that takes you across the extensive buffet, is a dance hall, too. Lots of Galveston Bay from the Bolivar Peninsula to bon Run is a 5K event like no other. Every October, as runners and walkers pace the course, they are Southeast Texans learned their first dance Galveston and back again. The car ferry runs 24 doused with eco-friendly, colored corn starch. The steps at Larry’s. It’s a family hang out. hours and includes plenty of seagulls who want to be fed and regular dolphin/porpoise sightings.

Drive in your car or walk on.

human hues raise money for breast and ovarian cancer programs for the Julie Rogers Gift of Life.

36. Trick or Treat on Crockett Street It’s the largest adult Halloween party in the area with big money prizes for best costumes…drinks, street dance and lots of entertainment, especially for people watchers.

July: Zachary Breaux Jazz Festival September: Texas Gatorfest Texas Pecan Festival Mexican Heritage Fiesta and Car Show October: Winnie Rice Festival CavOilCade in Port Arthur Village Creek Festival in Lumberton Dogtober Fest in Beaumont Heritage Village Harvest Festival in Woodville Texas Scarecrow Festival November: India Fest

37. Row Your Boat Village Creek offers 3.5-mile, 7-mile, 9-mile and 10-mile water journeys for kayaking and canoeing.

The State Park offers campsites, restrooms, showers, a cabin, picnic tables, a nature center and several hiking trails. Spend the day or the weekend.

38. Stop to Smell the Flowers The Beaumont Botanical Gardens is many things – an event venue, home to area garden clubs and a place of beauty for touring. There’s also a small pond where ducks, turtles and Japanese imperial koi live and love to be fed, making the gardens at Tyrrell Park a delight for visiting children.

39. Own Sabine Lake Captain Randy Foreman is a Port Arthur native, U.S. Coast Guard certified captain and the most renowned fisherman in these parts. People fly in from all over the world to saltwater fish with him on Sabine Lake in Texas and Louisiana, and they’re never disappointed, catching trout, redfish and flounder.

41. Go Local Open March to November, the Beaumont Farmer’s Market is well established at the Beaumont Athletic Complex on College at Langham Road. The Farmer’s Mercantile in Orange is open every day and Saturdays, too.

42. Become a Member of the Blue Fan Group For $10 a gallon you can pick blueberries in May and June at Griffin Berry Farm. Watch their website for details about berries and other pick-ables: griffinberryfarm.com.

43. Make a Splash It’s hot May to September, but thankfully there are plenty of pools and water playgrounds to keep you cool – Rogers Park, Alice Keith Park, Central Park, Cottonwood Park, Halbouty and Liberia Parks, Magnolia Park, Perlstein Street and Pine Street and Roberts Park and Sprott Park. Nederland has a city swimming pool, and Groves is home to a water playground at Chris Roark Lions Park.

44. Barbeque, BBQ or Bar-be-Q Chicken, ribs and brisket – Oh My! Try a barbeque cook-off with samples and/or plates for everyone. The Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce Chamber Foundation hosts one and so does Stable Spirits as well as the Go Texan nonprofit group. Sit and eat, or get it to go.

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45. Lick Some Salt... or Sugar

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48. Ride Lighted Get red, green and lit all over including your bike, and cruise Calder from the New York Pizza & Pasta restaurant to the McFaddin-Ward House every December.

49. Party and Eat in the Pines Come by car or boat to Taylor Bayou’s Pine Tree Lodge, family owned and operated and offering Gulf Coast delicacies and culture. Bikers and gators eat here.

55. Celebrate Thursdays Every first Thursday of the month, Calder Avenue from 11th Street to downtown stays up late for food, music, shopping and socializing. Meet at the hub – Katharine & Co. in the historic Mildred Building - for good eats, and walk from there.

56. Shop on SoutheastTexas.com

Buy. Sell. Trade. SoutheastTexas.com is the largest regional classified website with more than 10,000 autos, real estate listings, job listings, personal ads and products and services at any given time. More than 300,000 visitors hit the site in a month viewing more than 18 million pages. What do you want? You’ll find it 51. Be a Slinger If you’re gunning for a good time, our civic cen- on SoutheastTexas.com.

50. Get Your Red On With a historic 2014 season, who doesn’t want to “go red” partying at the big pits before the game? Tailgate - eat, drink and GO CARDS every home game on every inch of concrete around Provost Umphrey Stadium.

ters seem to always have a gun show going on, especially the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur. The Real Texas Gun Show is booked there March 7-8; June 20-21 and Oct. 24–25.

57. Drive a Nail for Habitat With over a 100 houses built in Southeast Texas, our local Habitat is making a difference, and you can help. Volunteers, not just for hammering, are always needed in the office, in the ReStore and for planning special events.

Honor the culture of Southeast Texas with a 52. Do Lunch at the Lake Come spring, every Monday there’s a food fling margarita. Every Tex Mex restaurant on pracat the Lake in front of the Event Centre, 11 a.m. – 2 tically every corner makes ’em good and p.m. Food trucks and friends. strong, fruity or not, with salt or with sugar on 58. Hear the Voice of Southeast Texas the rim. Have one your way, but do have one.

46. Be the Belle or the Beau of the Ball Sprinkled throughout the year are galas – glittering, glamorous affairs to raise awareness and funds for varying organizations. Consider one and go. January – Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Foundation’s La Soiree; February – American Heart Association Heart Ball and Symphony of Southeast Texas Ball; March – Beaumont Heritage Society Moonlight Masquerade Ball; Port Arthur and Orange Mardi Gras Balls and Lamar University’s Friends of the Arts Le Grand Bal; April – Christus Gala and Goodwill’s Gala; May - Beaumont Children’s Museum’s Gala; September - Art Museum of Southeast Texas Gala; October - Girls’ Haven Evening Amid the Stars Dinner and Hope Resource Clinic’s Hope Gala; November – YWCA Gala and the Cattle Baron’s Ball.

47. Battle with the Indians and Bulldogs It’s the biggest pigskin showdown from Houston to New Orleans, and it’s called Mid County Madness when the Port Neches Groves Indians play the Nederland Bulldogs. The game and the halftime are Friday night lights you don’t want to miss.

53. Log On

Coffee to wine time (or beer) Logon Café in Beaumont consistently features local bands and entertainment as well as karaoke and open mic nights.

54. Run the Twilight What started out as a running/walking tour to celebrate the Calder Avenue expansion project has become a family friendly, chip-timed, annual June event that starts and ends at Rao’s Bakery on Calder at 10th Street.

There’s a calm and peace we Southeast Texans experience when we can hear Al Caldwell’s voice on KLVI 560 AM during disasters and hurricanes.

Caldwell has been our voice for 37 years on both KLVI and KCOL 92.5 bringing news, tunes and great stories. Be calm and listen to Al in 2015.

59. Satisfy the Need for Speed Go to a boat race. Not only does Southeast Texas hosts two days of “Thunder on the Neches” during the five-day Port Neches Riverfest at the end of April and first of May, but Sabine River in Orange is perfect for outboard racers, too. In 2014 championship boat races were held there in September, and Southeast Texans are hoping for more in 2015.

60. See Broadway PLUS The Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts, a 1,460-seat performing arts facility, hosts the largest performing arts series from Houston to New Orleans. Every seat is as great as the productions scheduled like Flashdance, Jan 7; Guys and Dolls, Feb 6; Rioult Dance, Feb 14; Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story, Feb 23 & 24; Jack Hanna-Into the Wild Live, Feb 27; The Great Gatsby, March 6; Dancing ProsLive, March 10; Trout Fishing in America, March 20; and Mamma Mia, June 17.

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61. Munch Thibodeaux and Boudreaux All the Thibodeaux, Herberts (pronounced a-bear) and Legers go to AL’Ts in Winnie and so should you for your boudain, etouffee, gumbo and alligator tenders. Ca C’est Bon, Cher!

66. Relax the Pigs Get barefoot at King Spa in the Oaks Shopping Center on Dowlen or The Reflexology Store at Parkdale Mall, and have your pigs massaged for 30 minutes or an hour.

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72. Go Back to 1901

67. See What Man Made Be awed at the Sam Rayburn Reservoir, the largest man-made lake in the State of Texas at 114,000 acres. It was created for flood control but is a great place for picnics, launching your boat, fishing, camping, hiking, canoeing and bird watching.

68. Spin with the Lawyers Each June the Jefferson County Bar Association hosts a bike ride called the Spindletop Spin with mile routes of 96, 52, 29 and 12. Money raised goes to several programs including the pro bono program for indigents, teen court for first time offenders, pro bono legal clinics for military veterans and a program to provide mentors for fourth and fifth grade at-risk youth.

62. Confirm the Existence of Shangri La In James Hilton’s novel, the Lost Horizon, Shangri La was a fictional mysterious valley of extreme beauty, but in Southeast Texas Shangri La is a 252acre world-class botanical garden and nature center in Orange with more than 300 plant species, a boat tour, cypress swamp, children’s garden, gift shop, discovery theater and beauty beyond words.

63. Learn More Than 100 Things to Do… …at Destination Training, a full-day tour of Beaumont’s hotspots. The Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau offers this free day of sight seeing to teach those in front-line service jobs all about the area, but anyone and everyone is invited to attend.

The classes are offered quarterly.

64. Tee Off Where the tall oak and pine grow and between the dogwoods is a beautiful golf course called Wildwood in Village Mills. Participate in the golf club’s eclub and receive a free round for your birthday!

On Jan. 10, 1901, the largest oil discovery in the United States to that date was made 69. Visit the Fire Hydrant at Spindletop Hill’s salt dome. Today, a replica Photo Op for sure. In front of the Texas Fire wooden derrick stands on the Lamar UniversiMuseum there’s a 24-foot fire hydrant famous for once serving as a prop for “101 Dalmatians” video ty campus to commemorate that historic day.

Regular reenactments demonstrate the power release party. and force of the gusher that put Beaumont 70. Mess with Beaumont on the world map. Of course the reenactment Participate in the Beaumont Trash-Off every uses water instead of oil and lasts for about spring. Volunteers – you and all your friends – are 10 minutes not nine days like it did in 1901. given gloves, trash bags and an assigned area of the city to clean up. Beaumont looks good and you feel great.

71. Get Live With three community theater groups – Beaumont Community Players performing at the Betty Greenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Orange Community Players on stage at the Orange Community Playhouse and Port Arthur thespians hosting shows at the Port Arthur Little Theater PLUS independent groups like Divergent Theater, Studio 33, Act 1 Scene 1 and Ad Hoc Beaumont – there’s always something good on stage.

65. Become a Twitcher...

...which is a bird watcher, if only for the month of March. March starts migratory bird season, and Southeast Texas is world renowned for its birding sites where hundreds of species fly after the winter. Our sites include the Big Thicket National Preserve, Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, Cattail Marsh, Village Creek State Park, High Island, Boy Scout Woods – Louis B. Smith Bird Sanctuary, Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary, Eubanks Woods Bird Sanctuary, S.E. Gast Red Bay Sanctuary, J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area, Sabine Woods, Sea Rim State Park, Texas Point & McFaddin National Wildlife Refuges, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary.

73. Savor Sounds in a Stunning Location Lamar University’s musical ensemble the Industrial Carillion, directed by Nick Rissman, has a mission that defies categorization. Past concerts have included such diverse themes as mid-20th century European Avant- Garde, the art of the television and radio jingle, and modern vocal music, to name a few, and they perform in a most unexpected location – the MobilOil Federal Credit Union on the corner of Major and Delaware. Oh, and it’s free!

Next concerts - March 9 and April 27.

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74. Get Lazy in Silsbee

86. Hear Simmons play Sax Our favorite Lamar Cardinal of all time is also our favorite musician. Jimmy Simmons will play his saxophone during the Best Years Senior Mardi Gras Celebration Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Beaumont Civic Center.

When temps top the 90s, there’s no better place to be than floating down the lazy river at Paradise Water Park in Silsbee. Slip, slide and sink into the coolness at this family friendly summer swimming hole.

87. Bargain Big The largest garage sale in Southeast Texas is held every July at Trinity United Methodist Church. Beat the heat at this three-day finder’s fare of clothes, toys, electronics, home décor, furniture and appliances.

75. Eat Free Who says nothing’s free? Popcorn at Southeast Texas locally owned hardware store, M&D Supply, is always hot, always fresh and always free.

79. Laud & Dance to the Original The Art Studio invites local musicians to play original music the third Saturday of the month, and they call it Band Nite.

76. Persist on Independence Two independent film and music festivals are hosted in Beaumont – Boomtown Film & Music Festival and Lagnaippe Film & Music Festival. Each receives entries from all over the world and showcases original works during a weekend of film viewing and concerts.

80. Dine Farm to Table Southeast Texas’s first farm-to-table restaurant is now open – Amelia’s Farm and Market, 8600 Dishman Road.

77. Break Bread with the Catholics

81. Party While You Paint, Paint While You Party The colors flow and so does the wine at Painting with a Twist. Paints, canvas and sample pictures provided; you bring friends, food and libations for creative carousal.

82. Pop a Ball; it’s so Rice Hurry! The first thing to sell out at the Texas Rice Festival in Winnie is the rice balls. They’re super delicious and go down best with a brew while listening to live entertainment.

83. Feed our Hungry Approximately 12,000 households receive food from Southeast Texas Food Bank every month through one of its many programs and partner agencies. Buy two cans and give one!

84. Have a Little Bubbly with that Beef The Julie Rogers’ Gift of Life hosts Champagne & Ribs each April to raise funds and awareness of prostate cancer, and it’s the largest outdoor soiree of the year featuring great eats. Save the date – April 16!

You don’t have to go to the altar to break bread with Southeast Texas Catholics (great, if you do). You can celebrate St. Joseph’s Day at St. Anthony Basilica with a pasta Milanese lunch – March 19 – or have Breakfast with 85. Make Food a Religious the Bishop – June 13.

78. Bottoms Up and Bosoms Forward The Julie Rogers’ Gift of Life offers free mammograms and prostate cancer screenings regularly throughout the year for the under and uninsured.

Get checked.

Experience Several churches host food fundraising events with proceeds donated through granting back into the community. In February eat oysters with the Methodists at First Methodist downtown; March have a sandwiches with the Deli Dolls at Temple Emanuel; and in November the downtown Episcopalians hosts a chili supper and bazaar.

88. Find Time to Wine Sample the aperitif and dessert wines of Bruno & George, a small boutique winery in Sour Lake.

89. Be Afraid Out in the darkest pine forest in Woodville is a three-attraction Halloween amusement park Dam B Haunted Village. Professional spooksters run this scary site. Open every October and extra late on Halloween night.

90. Connect with the Renaissance The third Thursday of every month poets and those who love poetry, converge at The Art Studio and read and/or hear live poetry from 7-10 p.m.

91. Sport for Charity Swing, shoot, run, walk all for a good cause. LIT has a shoot out in the spring; Baptist Hospital and the Garth House host golf tournaments, and the American Cancer Society, the ARC of Greater Beaumont, Habitat for Humanity and Hope Women’s Resource Clinic all have run-walks. And that’s not even the beginning of the opportunities to get physical - The Children’s Miracle Network swings and shoots for a miracle, CASA of Southeast Texas hosts a golf tourney, American Heart Association, the Beaumont Police Department and the March of Dimes all have walks…

92. Buy from the Masters

Jefferson County Master Gardeners have two big plant sales each year – spring and fall. Plants and prices are perfect.

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93. Enter to Win Throughout the year organizations sell tickets to win prizes. CASA of Southeast Texas raffles playhouses, trips and room makeovers; The Art Museum of Southeast Texas hosts a reverse drawing giving a grand prize of $10,000 in gold; The Garth House typically raffles a jeep; and the Junior League - golf carts and jewelry. All items benefit charity, and you, if you win.

94. Order Food that Fuels You and Meals on Wheels Nutrition and Services for Seniors is the organization in Southeast Texas that operates Meals on Wheels feeding approximately 1,700 seniors daily in Jefferson and Hardin County. Spring and fall this organization hosts a baked potato sale. Spuds are $8 and big orders are delivered. At Easter and Thanksgiving they also sell pies and cookies - delicious desserts that you don’t have to bake.

95. Shop Together and Like It No other trade show features shoes and purses, frills and bling but also camo and boats, hunt trips, ATVs and RVs. The Great Outdoor Expo and Peddler Show is His and Hers Weekend, and it comes to Southeast Texas every July. Men and women, boys and girls, shop together and like it.

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96. Find Out Who’s Your Momma’s Momma’s Momma The Tyrrell Historic Library gives free access to ancestry searches and has people to help you get started and succeed at discovering your people, PLUS it’s a beautiful place to just hang out.

97. LiveWell Christus LiveWell Conference is the ultimate chick schtick with vendors, shopping, workshops, celebrity guests, food and health screenings. The full-day feminine fun day is held at Ford Park and scheduled for May 9 this year.

98. Trade Some Days Kountze, Groves and Winnie have got ’em… trade days offer a wide variety of vendors, fabulous food and entertainment.

Kountze Trade Days is the last weekend of the month; Groves runs every weekend and Winnie’s is called Larry’s Old Time Trade Days, the first weekend after the first Monday.

99. Make Summers Cinematic The City of Beaumont features movies in the park in the summer time. Each month at a different city park, residents are invited to bring lawn chairs and take in a family flick on an outdoor big screen.

100. Don’t Regift, Thrift When you get something that’s just not you, or you use something a few times and decide you don’t want or need it, instead of regifting, potentially embarrassing if discovered, donate to a charity thrift store like the Treasure House, The Salvation Army, Goodwill or the Habitat ReStore.

All organizations put the proceeds from their sales back into the community.

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Infographic

Beaumont-Port Arthur

By the Numbers GDP UP

4.1 percentage points

In Texas, Beaumont-Port Arthur was the fastest growing metro area, with its real Gross Domestic Product up:

7.2 percent in 2013 vs. 3.1 percent in 2012.

Ranked 10

Nationally for Growth Beaumont-Port Arthur ranked No. 10 nationally for growth from 2012 to 2013 and was one of only two Texas metros to see a faster pace of growth in 2013 than 2012.

Oil and Gas Account for

8.7 percent

The booming oil and gas industry, including refineries, helped Beaumont-Port Arthur’s economic growth, contributing 8.7 percentage points to the area’s overall growth in 2013.

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Following the hunch that Southeast Texas has received negative press undeservingly in 2014, we asked for help from the Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation, which provided the 2014 Consumer Price Index for the third quarter along with some data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and a special report about our Southeast Texas resources – the Neches River including the Port of Beaumont and oil and gas. Below is a compilation of some of the data gleaned from the information, as well as a comparison of U.S. cities with similar population sizes. Good (and there’s a lot of good that hasn’t been reported nationally), bad or indifferent, at least you now know where we stand.

Our Resources Our Neches River provides:

288,000 permanent jobs $106 billion in business activity $32 billion in gross product $6 billion in retail sales Our Oil and Gas makes us: • No. 1 refiners of jet fuel in the nation and the majority of military jet fuel • Providers of 55 percent of the nation’s strategic petroleum reserves • Refiners of a minimum of 13 percent of America’s daily fuel consumption Our Port is: • Nation’s

4th largest

waterway with

100 million tons of cargo going in and out annually • Nation’s No. 1 commercial military outload port

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Bakersfield, Calif.

Wichita, Kan., Metro New Orleans-Metairie, La., Metro Columbus, Ohio, Metro Beaumont-Port Arthur Metro

363,630 386,552 378,715 390,113 390,732

$4.11 $4.46 $3.69 $4.71 $3.93

$328,333 $220,833 $321,478 $231,210 $288,175

15-20 minutes 15-20 minutes 25 minutes 25 minutes 10 minutes

President, Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce

Our Future The Water Resources Reform Development Act, signed in June 2014, will deepen and widen our waterway. The project will take between 12 and 15 years to complete, but the project’s benefits to Southeast Texas will take effect immediately accounting for: • 78,000 new jobs • Increasing the annual gross domestic product of Southeast Texas by $23 billion • Generating an additional $323.5 million in annual taxes For more information about the Southeast Texas economic outlook, see page X, to learn about the Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation’s Economic Forecast Breakfast Jan. 6.

8.1% 7.9% 9% 6.3% 8.9% Unemployment

President, Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce

The deepening and widening of the Port of Port Arthur will begin and our city will see several new industrial projects drawn here because of the increased access to the Port. The port is just one of many reasons for new industry to locate in our city. The chamber will continue to build a database of available retail buildings within our city. When we receive requests from new business or existing business that need to expand, we will be able to answer them in a faster and more qualified manor.

Bill McCoy

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Work commute

$97.00 $96.70 $81.90 $109.63 $85.00 Doctor Visit

Construction start-up of Natgasoline, the $1.6 billion Greenfield methanol facility. Creation of 3000 construction jobs and 240 permanent jobs.

Jim Rich

$2.37 $1.62 $2.05 $1.85 $1.94

Ground Beef

Milk

What’s most significant for Southeast Texas in 2015?

$2.06 $2.19 $2.58 $2.69 $2.48

january 2015

Home Price

Population

A comparison of cities with similar populations

Dozen Eggs

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Wining

Drinking Healthy

By Gerald Patrizi Wine Manager at Debb’s Liquor

As we age I think we become more self-conscious of what we eat and drink in the sense that we are looking for things that are healthier and better for us. That includes the wines we drink. "Organically Grown" has now become a priority for many people. Either by just improving vineyard practices such as using minimal pesticides and minimal sulfur dioxide for preservative or going full-blown organic and being certified, wineries have begun to listen to their consumers. The first such winery to embrace "Organic" was Frey Vineyards.

Located in Mendocino County, Calif., Frey was founded in 1980 as the nation's first organic winery and is still family owned and operated today.

In 1996, Frey Vineyards produced the United States' first certified biodynamic wine. All Frey biodynamic wines are estate-grown and bottled in accordance with Demeter Biodynamic and USDA organic regulations.

This month’s featured wine from Frey Vineyards is called "Field Blend.” It is composed of 35 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon, 20 percent syrah and 20 percent petite sirah. The wine tastes of rich dark and red berries with sweet tannins. There are only naturally occurring sulfites in this wine. Average retail for this bottle is around$13.19. So, if you want to feel better about what you put in your body, you might want try Frey's "Field Blend" and some of the other organic wines produced by Frey Vineyards. Salute!

Tips & Tricks fro m

By Emily Wheel

er

Tips for the Ne w

my Pinterest Bo ards

Year, New You

It's a New Year, an d if you're human , you're thinking You. We're startin about becoming g to sort out thos a New e resolutions tuck our brains. This iss ed away in the de ue contains lots of pt hs of great tips on livin ideas on new ad g in Southeast Te ventures to take xa .

I'm s and sharing tips I've pi my private "Resol nned to utions" board on Pi nterest and hope they help yo u jumpstart your 2015!

Eat Healthier Best Tip: Eat fresh produce throughout year. Keep an ey e on what’s in se as on because eating fresh mea ns eating the ta st iest fruits and veggies around.

Exercise More Best Tip: Work ou t while you wor k. Seated doesn’t have to mean se dentary. Take a br ea k for deskercise. Even if they don’t prep you fo r an upcoming maratho n, heart pumpi ng br will get the bloo eaks d flowing and bu rn off a bit of lunch.

Stress Less Best Tip: Listen to music! Turn up the tunes...as often as you can.

Classical music has been proven to reduce stress , but if that's no t your thing, fin calming collectio da n to put your m ind to rest.

Lose Weight Best Tip: Set atta inable goals. Get real with yourself.

What can you ac complish in a reas onable amount of time?

Write it down. M ake a plan. You are no t an Ironman- ye t.

Manage Money Wisely Best Tip: Unsub scribe! Is your inbox full of "amazin g deals" and "o ne -day sales?" Mine is. Th ese hot marketin g emails are too hard to pa ss up. Don't just delete.- unsubscribe!

Get More Sleep Best Tip: Make a sleep routine an d stick to it. A cu ing? Make it happ p of tea? Warm ba en every night. th? ReadGo Green Best Tip: Learn to love towels.

Set a goal date to may be easier th rid yourself of pa an you think. per towels..it So

utheastTexas. compatible wit com is h Pinterest!

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on this date

in Southeast Texas January 10, 1901 Around 10:00 a.m. drill piping was blown sky high, a well at the Spindletop oilfield struck oil. The well, "Lucas 1," blew a stream of oil over 100 feet high until it was capped nine days later and flowed an estimated 100,000 barrels a day. The world had never seen such a gusher before.

January 6, 1926 City Manager Ollie J. Bloyd approves the installation of traffic lights at 42 crossings in Beaumont. The new system of lights- consisting of one red, one green and one amber light- will be the most modern in Texas.

January 15, 1932 "Mata Hari" starring Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro was playing at the Jefferson Theatre. Showings cost 25 cents.

January 22, 1940 35 inches of snow blanketed Beaumont, one of the heaviest falls in the town's history.

January 6, 1986 Willie Nelson performed to a crowd of 4,000 at the Montagne Center.

Genealogical Session at Tyrrell The public is welcome to attend a free genealogy session to learn more about the library’s genealogical resources and how to perform genealogical research on Saturday, Jan. 3 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The Daughters of the American Revolution will be on hand to offer free assistance. For information call the Tyrrell Historical Library, 409.833.2759.

wordof themonth Y’all (yôl) We all (Southeast Texans, that is) know that “y’all” is a friendly term hospitable because it’s inclusive. “Y’all” is the contraction for “you all,” and is the second person plural pronoun used to make sure all are included: “Y’all come to dinner at 6 p.m,” but without pointing fingers at anyone specifically, “What do y’all know about making gumbo?”

Origins: No one really knows where the term came from but the best guess comes from linguist Michael Montgomery who says “y’all” originated from the earlier Ulster Scots term ye aw. Montgomery offers as evidence a letter written in 1737 by an Irish immigrant in New York to a friend back home: “Now I beg of ye aw to come over here.” Montgomery says “ye aw” Americanized is “y’all.”

Other phrases that mean y’all outside the South: You guys, youse guys, all you, yous, all y’all and simply you.

Resources: dialectblog.com, Urban Dictionary

southeast texas somebody

Big Red Basketball Coach: Tic Price Lamar University men's basketball team has a new coach for the 2014-15 season, a former NCAA Division I head coach with 32 years of coaching experience - Tic Price.

Former Lamar assistant coach, he has helped coach 12 different squads to the NCAA or NIT as either an assistant or head coach including the University of New Orleans, Memphis and McNeese. During his time as head coach, Price won 10 different coaching honors including Southland Conference Coach of the Year, Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, Louisiana Sports Writers Association Collegiate Coach of the Year and NABC District 8 Coach of the Year.

He has also mentored more than a dozen players who went on to successful professional careers with both the NBA and USA Basketball. The Danville, Va., native who played collegiate basketball at Virginia Commonwealth and Virginia Tech is married and has two children.

Although in the middle of the season and traveling, Tic took some time to tell us about our Big Red team and his coaching.

Q: You’ve turned several teams around during your 32 years as a coach, including Lamar rivals McNeese Cowboys. What’s your plan for winning as a Cardinal?

A: When we took over, we had to overcome a couple things. This team had not seen a lot of success on the court the past couple of seasons or in the classroom. We had to change the mindset. We had to identify players who were good basketball players, but also good students. We also had to get players here who were proud to wear Lamar across their chest. That is a special thing, and we wanted guys who would recognize that and understand the importance of being a Lamar Cardinal.

Q: What are the biggest challenges for the season?

A: I think the biggest challenge for our guys is getting them to think and play like winners. We have guys on this team that really haven’t ever experienced success at this level. It is a mindset that we have to get changed. We have seen some positive signs, and I believe we are headed in the right direction, but this is a maturation process. We have to learn to crawl before we can walk.

Q: Tell us about the talent. What are their strengths?

A: We have a very young team, but I believe the true strength of this team is their willingness to work hard. They give us all they have in practice and in games. As a coach, you can’t ask for much more than that. These guys want to get better, and they prove that every day on the court. I really appreciate how these guys never give up, no matter the situation.

SoutheastTexasEvents.com

Q: When it comes to recruiting, can local athletes look to Lamar to play?

A: We are not going to sign local kids just for the sake of signing a Southeast Texas player. We when sit down as a staff and target our primary needs for the following season, and there are local student-athletes who fit those needs, then we want to keep those kids close to home. When we signed Zjori (Bosha) we needed someone who could shoot the ball and score points. He filled that need so we went after him and were fortunate to get him. It was a similar situation with Dorian (Chatman). Those guys filled major needs on our team.

Q: You’re a strong community supporter. How has the team been active in the community so far, and why is service important?

A: I love living in Beaumont. My wife loves it here. We are members of a special church with great people at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. There are a lot of great people that work at this university, a lot of whom I have the privilege of calling friends. Beaumont, and the Golden Triangle, has always supported Lamar. I want my players to take pride in this community and to understand how the area supports them. In addition, when our players get out and help within the community, the community really gets to know our players, and there is a bond that is created. The Golden Triangle comes out to support us, and I want them to know that as a team we will support them.

Q: Is Tic a nickname? What’s the story on your name?

A: My actual name is George. Tic is a nickname. When I was playing basketball as a little boy, I was on a little league team and everyone had a nickname but me. In one game I threw up a prayer that went in as the final seconds “ticked” off the clock, and my coach told me from then on that was name. Tic has stuck with me ever since.

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social seen

1. Mary Jane Benning serves up hot gumbo at the St. Stephen's Christmas Bazaar with Foster Cannon and L.W. Wilson.

2. Lunching at the Family Portrait Luncheon benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association Vivian Todd, Elizabeth Waddill and Kim Stein hagen.

3. Festively outfitted for fun and the Jingle Bell Run – Jennifer Lovelace and Therese Eaer 4. Husband and wife, Ryan and Ronda Hark ey, attended the Alzheimer’s Family Portrait Luncheon, a sold out event at the Beaumon t Country Club.

5. Alzheimer’s Family Portrait Luncheon Com mittee members Karen Fuljenz and Shelley Tortorice serve a refreshing drink to guests as they enter the event.

6. Valerie Frommel with her sons, Logan and Hunter Berni made the Habitat for Humanity Jingle Bell Run a mother-son event...

7. ...as did Joan and John Richardson.

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performing arts

homegrown talent hits stage in "guys and Dolls"

By Beth Gallaspy When a national touring production of “Guys and Dolls” makes a stop at the Lutcher Theater in Orange next month, the Southeast Texas audience might recognize a familiar face on stage. Matthew Taylor, a 2005 Nederland High School graduate, plays the lead role of Sky Masterson in the iconic American musical.

For Taylor, 28, the best part of touring with a national production is exploring the beauty and diversity of the country. “I love seeing the wide array of people and scenery we have. The other thing I love is getting to perform for these tiny little towns that don’t always get to see major Broadway productions,” he said. “There’s something really spectacular about knowing that someone in each audience, every night, has never seen a Broadway show, and yours is the first one they get to see. I get to tell the story of whoever I’m playing for that person.

That’s what I live for as an artist.”

Previous national tours for Taylor

have included “Cats” as Rum Tum Tugger and “Damn Yankees” as Joe Hardy.

He was also appeared in professional regional productions of “Cats” and of “Oklahoma” as Curly, which he cites as his all-time favorite role. “He’s a character I identify with on an intensely personal level. I live for my one week of hunting season in Oklahoma every year where I get to watch the sun come up every morning.”

Growing up, Taylor says, he was a “choir nerd” rather than a “theater kid.” He found his way into musical theater almost by accident. After earning his bachelor’s degree in music at Westminister Choir College in New Jersey, he took a job as a high school choir director in Harlingen.

During a break from school, he visited friends in New York and one of his friends bet him a drink that he wouldn’t go to auditions for “Cats” and sing “I Can’t Dance” by Genesis.

He thought it would be funny, took the bet and got the role.

In between professional theater

commitments, Taylor has also found time for graduate school. He graduated with a masters in choral conducting from Oklahoma City University in spring 2014 and booked the “Guys and Dolls” tour a few days later. When the tour stops in Orange, Taylor will definitely know his way around. He spent summer and fall 2014 as an intern at the Lutcher assisting with all aspects of theater operations while using his free time to prepare for the role of Sky Masterson. The cast had just 11 days of rehearsals together beginning the day after Thanksgiving before starting their tour in December.

“The tech process for these companies that come through is extremely fast and furious, and my respect for that has deepened considerably,” Taylor said of his Lutcher internship. “It’s something I could see myself being involved in more heavily as I get out of performing and get more settled around home and developing the theater scene here.”

He’s not quite ready to exit the

stage yet, though. “I think there’s a role out there that hasn’t been written yet that I’m going to play. That’s the one that fascinates me the most.

I like the idea of not having to follow in someone’s footsteps.”

featured performances PROFESSIONAL

Ford Park, 5115 IH 10 South, Beaumont, 409.951.5400

Hot Hearts: Lacrae, Tenth Avenue North, Ed Newton, Johnnie W., Phil Wickham Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. & Jan. 24 at 8:30 a.m.

Jefferson Theatre, 345 Fannin Street, Beaumont, 409.838.3435

Legends at the Jefferson: Barbara Lynn Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.

Legends at the Jefferson: Liverpool Legends Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.

Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts, 707 W. Main, Orange, 409.886.5535

Taylor in his roles in "Oklahoma" (above) and "Cats" (below)

“Guys and Dolls” national tour 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 Lutcher Theater in Orange For tickets, www.lutcher.org or 409.886.5535

Flashdance, the Musical Jan. 4 at 3 p.m.

Buddy's Big AdventureDinosaurs Live (Kids Show) Jan. 15 at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley (Kids Show) Jan. 23 at 9:30 & 11:30 a.m.

COMMUNITY Betty Greenburg Center for the Performing Arts, 4155 Laurel Avenue, Beaumont, 409.833.4664

True West!

Jan. 30 & 31 at 7:30 p.m.

Liberty Opry, 1816 Sam Houston Ave., Liberty, 877.729.9103

Opry Music & Entertainment Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Symphony of Southeast Texas, Julie Rogers Theatre, 765 Pearl, Beaumont, 409.892.2257

Pops Concert: Musical "Tails" Remixed Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

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visual arts

Go birding at the Museum of the Gulf Coast

By Melissa Tilley Bird watching might not be too enjoyable during the winter months, but now through Feb. 15 the Museum of the Gulf Coast will be the ideal location to find many interesting birds on view. Bird lovers and art lovers alike will migrate to the heated halls to discover the 39th annual “Birds in Art” exhibition, which celebrates our feathered friends through fresh interpretations in original paintings, sculptures and graphics created within the last three years.

“With Southeast Texas being on the migratory route for so many birds and such a big place for birding, we thought this would be an exhibition

that people would be interested in,” said Museum of the Gulf Coast Director David Beard. “It is a great collection of many nice works of art.”

The 50 paintings and works on paper and 10 sculptures feature subjects ranging from backyard feeder favorites to exotic species from around the world. The artworks capture the elegance, beauty, strength and sometimes amusing poses of the magnificent creatures. The diverse styles and media show the remarkable talents of the international artists chosen each year to participate in the exhibition.

The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum has organized “Birds in Art” annually since 1976. The internationally renowned exhibition has become the most recognized presentation of avian art and includes the very best contemporary artistic interpretations of birds in two- and three-dimensional works in all me-

dia other than crafts and photography.

Each year approximately 100 works are selected by a jury review of digital images submitted by international artists.

The exhibition first goes on view at the Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin each fall and then 60 of the artworks embark on a national tour.

More than 30 artists have been recognized as Masters Wildlife Artists in tandem with “Birds in Art.” Those honored include James Morgan, John Busby, James Coe and Terry Miller in recent years.

“Birds in Art” is on view through Feb. 15. The Museum of the Gulf Coast is located at 700 Procter St. in Port Arthur. For more information, visit www.museumofthegulfcoast.org or call 409.982.7000.

featured exhibits Art Museum of Southeast Texas 500 Main, Beaumont, 409.832.3432 Dornith Doherty through Jan. 4 Celia Eberle: In the Garden of Ozymandias through Jan. 4 Finding Light: Works on Paper

by Rob Clark through Jan. 18 Harvey Johnson: A Triple Middle Passage

opening Jan. 17

"Caprice Pierucci: Dream State"

opening Jan. 17

OPENING RECEPTION:

Jan. 23, 6-8 p.m.

Beaumont Art League 2675 Gulf, Beaumont, 409.833.4179 60-Plus Show, Jan. 17-31

Dishman Art Museum 1030 E. Lavaca, Beaumont, 409.880.8959 Nowhere Backwards- Randy Bolton, Michael Krueger, Tom Reed through Feb. 27

Museum of the Gulf Coast 700 Procter, Port Arthur, 409.982.7000 Birds in Art, through Feb. 15

Stark Museum of Art

60 Plus- Maturity Rules!

The Beaumont Art League is hosting “60 Plus,” an art exhibition featuring artists 60 years of age or older.

The exhibit will open with a reception on Jan. 17 from 7-9 p.m. and then be on view through Jan. 31.

Special guest Angela Balsamo is 96 years old and was once an active member of the Beaumont Art League. She will be on hand at the opening reception to show some of her artwork. All art included in the exhibition will also be for sale.

The Beaumont Art League is located at 2675 Gulf St. in Beaumont and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information: 409.833.4179 or info@beaumontartleague.org.

712 Green Ave., Orange, 409.886.2787 Women, Art, & Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise through Jan. 3 Flowering Pages: Illuminated Books of Hours through Jan. 10 Scavenger Hunt: Majestic Mountains

through Jan. 3

DISCUSSION: Exploring “Manifest Destiny” 170 Years Later

Jan. 10, 11a.m.-12 p.m.

WORKSHOP: Paint your Pet

Jan. 31, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Texas Artists Museum 3501 Cultural Center Dr., Port Arthur, 409.983.4881 Nederland Art Guild Meet to Paint Every Saturday, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

W.H. Stark House Birds in Art pieces from the exhibition

610 West Main Ave., Orange, 409.883.0871 Reflecting Times through March 7

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entertainment

Making Wedding Dreams Come True

By Courtney Mleczewski Any girl will tell you…when it comes to her wedding day, good enough just won’t do! That’s why hundreds of young couples will attend the Bridal Traditions Bridal Show on Jan. 18 at the Beaumont Civic Center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

They come looking for ideas and recommendations, but most of all, they’ll be looking for the experts and professionals that can help them make their dreams come true!

An expert is exactly what you’ll find in Johnnie Andrus, owner of Cindy’s Bridal in Vidor. Together with Sarah Linscomb, owner of J and J Monogramming in Lumberton, they are the producers of Bridal Traditions. For more than 20 years, the Bridal Traditions team has partnered with the best vendors to bring this event to Southeast Texas.

“We expect between 4,000 and 5,000 attendees over the two days,” said Andrus.

“We’ll have close to 100 vendors, and this event is the best way for brides to see what their options are. The most popular booths

are the decorators; they go all out!”

“We’ve been seeing a lot more destination weddings,” she said when asked about current bridal trends. “Smaller weddings seem to be more popular, too.

We don’t see the big weddings we did a few years ago.”

One of biggest decision for any bride is the dress…always the dress! “Lace seems to be coming back in style lately,” Andrus said. “Brides seem to have more options in styles, too. It’s not all strapless anymore.” The brides will have a chance to see some of these styles in person during the fashion show. Add to that the cake tastings, photographers and DJ services, and the Bridal Traditions team has created a one-stop launch pad for every bride in Southeast Texas!

Another huge draw for many attendees will be the contest Bridal Traditions is running in conjunction with KFDM. Three lucky couples will win prize packages valued in the thousands. The first place package will include a dress from Cindy’s Bridals, DJ services from Bow Tie DJ Services and a cake from Something Special Bakery. The deadline to apply is Jan. 4. Just go to www.kdfm. com and click on “Wedding Contest.” Additional information about the bridal show is available at www.bridaltraditionstexas.com.

free fun

RUN FREE: Sea Rim Striders Resolution Run After ringing in the New Year, run in the New Year. The Sea Rim Striders, a running club (but walkers welcome) for the greater Jefferson County area, hosts a jog and java every Jan. 1. It’s the Resolution Run that invites members and non-members of the club to the Hike and Bike Trail off Dishman Road at 8 a.m. where, rain or shine, folks foot it for a 5K and then head to Rao’s on Dowlen for food and fellowship. The family-friendly event is just one of the many runs and walks that the Striders participate in every year. The group helps organize charity runs and plans a summer run series at different locations weekly through the summer months. Participation as a member includes membership in Road Runners Club of America, discounts to Sea Rim Striders affiliated events as well as discounts at On the Run running specialty store on Dowlen. Membership is $10 for students, $20 for individuals and $25 for families. Go to searimstriders.org for more information.

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kids' corner

Globetrotters: A Slam Dunk for Family Entertainment Some of the greatest athletes on the planet are coming to Beaumont. World-famous hoopsters and "Ambassadors of Goodwill," the Harlem Globetrotters will include Southeast Texas on their 310-city North American tour, “Washington Generals’ Revenge” Tour, at Ford Arena at 7 p.m. Jan. 21.

See Big Easy Lofton, Ant Atkinson, Hi-Lite Bruton, Thunder Law, Bull Bullard, Firefly Fisher and Moose Weekes – plus female stars TNT Maddox, T-Time Brawner and Sweet J Ekworomadu – in a one-of-a-kind show featuring incredible ball handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks, trick shots, hilarious comedy and unequaled fan interaction.

The Globetrotters will play the infamous Washington Generals. The teams haven’t faced off in five years. The Generals have been searching far and wide for the best players to retool their roster in order to beat the Globetrotters.

In addition to the matchup on the court, the Globetrotters will honor a Harlem Globetrotters Hometown Hero, active, wounded or retired members of the military who have made their community proud with brave service and exemplary character. Fans can nominate a Harlem Globetrotters Hometown Hero at harlemglobetrotters.com. The Globetrotters will also play a portion of each game with a camouflage basketball as a sign of respect to all who protect our freedom.

This must-see event is guaranteed to entertain the whole family. After the game, Globetrotter stars will sign autographs and take photos with fans.

Tickets start at $17 and are now available at harlemglobetrotters.com, ticketmaster.com, the Ford Arena box office or by phone at 800.745.3000. Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at harlemglobetrotters.com.

sports & recreation

Oxford City Something to See in the New Year

Professional Arena Soccer at Ford Arena

We’re kickin’ it into the New Year at Ford Arena. What started in the fall of 2014 continues through February - American professional indoor soccer – and it’s something to see.

Oxford City Football Club is a 132-year-old professional club out of Oxford, England, that located its first American team in Beaumont. Oxford City Football Club of Texas joined the Professional Arena Soccer League and recruited professional players from around the globe – Spain, England, Portugal, Brazil, Honduras and Colombia.

Since Nov. 8, the club has played six games. Each game features pre-game, on-field tailgating with a tribute band, player warm ups, player introductions, game, half-time band, post game with player autographs and more musical entertainment.

The family-friendly events cost between $10 and $15 per person per game; group tickets and tickets for the remaining four games are available. All game events start at 5 p.m. with kick off at 7:05 p.m.

Visit oxfordcityfctexas.com for information and tickets.

Schedule Jan. 10 Oxford City of Texas vs. Hidalgo La Fiera Rock and Roll Over Kiss Tribute Band Jan. 17 Oxford City of Texas vs. Brownsville Barracudas Led Zeppelin Tribute Band Jan. 31 Oxford City of Texas vs. Monterrey Flash Def Leppard Tribute Band Feb. 7 Oxford City of Texas vs. Dallas Sidekicks Van Halen/Hagar Tribute Band

hobby time

Amateur Radio Enthusiasts... Total Hams Southeast Texas is full of Hams - Amateur Radio operators. Who knew? But we’d all know in case of an emergency. When cell phones, Internet and other systems are down or overloaded, amateur radio still gets through.

Hams are hobbyists during normal times, but in emergency situations their wireless technology saves lives. Technical on the inside but friendly otherwise, amateur radio enthusiasts invite new members to their meetings, events and community outreach projects. Find a group near you.

Here are the local groups’ websites: Jefferson County Amateur Radio Club

w5ssv.com

Beaumont Amateur Radio Club

qsl.net/w5rin

Big Thicket Radio Club

qsl.net/btarc

Orange Amateur Radio Club, Inc.

qsl.net/w5nd

Lakes Area Amateur Radio Club

w5jas.org

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go out

Big Thicket National Preserve One of the most bio-diverse areas in North America is just down the road, so why not check it out. So diverse is the Big Thicket National Preserve you can see it by foot, bike, all-terrain vehicle and even by boat!

Nine distinct ecosystems have been identified within the 15 units covering more than 108,000 acres of land and water and seven counties of Southeast Texas that comprise the Big Thicket National Preserve. Visitors travel from around the world to explore the trails and waterways of the Big Thicket.

The Big Thicket National Preserve Visitors Center located at 6102 FM 420, Kountze, about eight miles north of Kountze and approximately 30 miles north of Beaumont via US 69/287, is a great place to start your tour of the Thicket. There you can see educational displays and watch a 15-minute orientation film. Staff is on hand to answer questions, provide maps and help you make the most of your visit.

In the Big Thicket you can hike, camp, boat, birdwatch, hunt, four-wheel, picnic and bike.

For hiking and biking, consider these trails: Kirby Nature Trail System: Located in the southern end of the Turkey Creek Unit, the inner loop is 1.7 miles, the outer loop is 2.4 miles and an additional 0.3 mile loop goes through a great example of a cypress slough.

Turkey Creek Trail: This 15-mile trail meanders north-south through the Turkey Creek Unit and roughly parallels Turkey Creek.

Pitcher Plant Trail: Approximately 1-mile trail round-trip with a boardwalk found on the north-

east side of the Turkey Creek Trail.

Sundew Trail: Located in the Hickory Creek Savannah Unit, the two loops of this trail are both fully accessible. The outer loop is 1.6 miles and the inner loop is 0.8 miles. Good for birdwatching.

Woodlands Trail: The Woodlands Trail, in the northwest portion of the Big Sandy Creek Unit, has three loops - 5.4 miles, 3.3 miles and 4.5 miles.

Beaver Slide Trail: 1.5 mile loop near the southeast corner of Big Sandy Creek Unit and the best place to see cypress trees.

Beech Woods Trail: 1 mile loop through stands of beech and magnolias.

Big Sandy Creek Horse/Bike Trail: This loop trail is 18 miles round trip – the longest in the Preserve – located in the southern portion of the Big Sandy Creek Unit. Horses and mountain bikes are allowed.

Boat in biodiversity - canoe or kayak one of these water routes: FM 418 to Hwy 327: 8.6 miles Hwy 327 to Baby Galvez: 2.1 miles Baby Galvez to Hwy 96: 7.1 miles Hwy 96 to Village Creek State Park: 3.2 miles To and From LNVA Saltwater Barrier, located at the end of Bigner Street in Beaumont There are no fees to visit the Big Thicket National Preserve, but reservations and passes are required for certain activities like hunting and camping. The number to call is 409.951.6700 or go online to nps.gov/bith.

2015 Events in the Big Thicket April 17-19 West Gulf Coastal Plain and Big Thicket Science Conference Sept. 12 Big Thicket River Rally

Related Information The Big Thicket Association bigthicket.org Neches River Adventures nechesriveradventures.org Thicket of Diversity thicketofdiversity.org

Big Thicket History 1974: Legislation was signed establishing the Big Thicket National Preserve as the first national preserve in the National Park System.

1981: The United Nations Man and the Biosphere Program recognized the Big Thicket’s biological diversity, and the Preserve was added to the list of International Biosphere Reserves and became one of 47 United States Man and the Biosphere (USMAB) program sites in the U.S. 1993: Legislation was passed to expand the Preserve to incorporate creek corridors and additional land areas. Today, the National Park Service manages over 108,000 acres of the Preserve.

2001: The American Bird Conservancy designated Big Thicket National Preserve a Globally Important Bird Area (IBA).

2006: The Thicket of Diversity was established and dedicated to biological field research in the Big Thicket National Preserve, coordinating activities of field biologists doing species inventory and research projects. Since its inception, 413 new species to science, region, state and United States have been discovered.

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charity

A Vintage Affair: AMSET Hosts Wine Event

By Beth Gallaspy An artful evening featuring a broad palette of wines paired with luscious chocolates, scrumptious cheeses and other treats to delight the palate awaits guests at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas’ fourth annual wine tasting event, A Vintage Affair, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30.

Begun as a counterpoint to the museum’s popular Art of Beer event, A Vintage Affair has quickly become one of the museum’s most diverse fundraisers.

“Many different kinds of people enjoy wine. We have not just art connoisseurs or wine connoisseurs, but all different types of people attracted to this event. That’s one of the things I really enjoy about it,” said executive director Lynn Castle.

Co-chairs for A Vintage Affair are Lee Ann and Terry Garth. “This evening will offer patrons an opportunity to sample a wide selection of interesting wines from different vintners that will be carefully selected and paired

with delectable gourmet delights all at a very affordable price,” Terry Garth said. “Guests are encouraged to sample the night’s selections of wine and also visit the two new exhibitions by Harvey Johnson and Caprice Pierucci while they are at AMSET.” Advance tickets are $35 per person, which provides access to an evening of live musical entertainment, gourmet treats and a wide range of wines to sample from crisp whites to full-bodied reds. Organizers promise an array sure to please seasoned oenophiles and newcomers to the wide world of wines.

Some lucky wine lovers will have the opportunity to take a few choice varietals home with them with silent auctions and raffles of wine gift baskets planned.

Admission to A Vintage Affair is limited, with about 150 attendees each year, so advanced reservations are recommended. Reservations are available for $35 per person online at www.amset.org or by calling 409.832.3432.

praise & worship

Tradition Goes Up in Flames

St. Mark’s Church Celebrates Epiphany with Burning of the Greens Every year on the Sunday after Jan. 6, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 680 Calder in downtown Beaumont burns a huge mound of Christmas trees.

What appears to be a massive wiener roast or overthe-top warming station on a cold January night is a spiritual service celebrating the Feast of Epiphany or Twelfth Night.

Twelve days after Christmas day is Jan. 6, the Twelfth Day of Christmas or Epiphany, a day noted in history as the arrival of the three Magi to the Baby Jesus and the manifestation, realization or epiphany

of Christ as King, a light to the world. St. Mark’s Burning of the Greens commemorates Epiphany.

The gigantic bonfire is lit on the parking lot adjacent to St. Mark’s occurs after a short indoor service, beginning at 6 p.m. on Jan. 11 this year, a candlelit procession, prayer and collective tossing of candles to ignite the trees.

Afterwards, there is a real wiener roast, only with sausage links, all the trimmings, chips, cookies and s’mores.

The Burning of the Greens event is free; the com-

munity is invited. Call the church office for more information at 409.832.3405 or visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/stmarksbeaumont.

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business & networking

back to business: Two Events Kick Off the New Year Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation Breakfast

Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting

How’s business? It’s the question to be answered at the Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation Breakfast, Jan. 6 at 7:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn & Suites on Walden Road.

An economic update and forecast presentation will highlight the business developments for 2014, like the Natgasoline, LLC groundbreaking bringing 3,000 construction jobs to the area and 240 permanent jobs, and announcement of Southeast Texas capital investment projects for 2015.

Ray Perryman, president and CEO of The Perryman Group, an economic research and analysis firm based in Waco, is the featured speaker. Perryman has held numerous academic positions in his career but his current academic roles include Senior Research Fellow of the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas and Institute Distinguished Professor of Economic Theory and Method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies. His firm engages in a broad range of complex projects for major corporate and governmental interests and has served the needs of more than 2,000 clients. Perryman has received citations from governments around the world, presidents, governors, Congress, and national and state administrative and legislative bodies, and has been nominated for the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel (Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics).

Cost to attend the breakfast is $20. Reservations are required. Call 409.838.6585 or email Ray Perryman jhill@bmtcoc.org.

For the 115th year the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce will meet in January to wrap up the previous year and initiate a business plan for the new year. The dinner features speakers, awards and a changing of the guard of chamber leadership.

This year’s featured speaker is veteran radio man and the voice of Southeast Texas – Al Caldwell. Caldwell, six-time nominee and two-time winner of the prestigious Marconi Award, is currently the morning show host on KLVI AM 560 and the midday host on KCOL FM 95.2.

For the third consecutive year the chamber will award the Arthur E. Stilwell Award for leadership and business vision. This year’s recipient is Floyd Marceaux, president and CEO of Retail Merchants Association, a position he has held since 1962. He is also a Rotarian and has been since 1968 serving as president of the Port Arthur Rotary and was named to the Rotary Roll of Fame in District 5910.

The Annual Meeting marks the beginning and the end of chamber leadership.

Mitch Osbourne, 2014 Chairman of the Board, will pass the gavel to Paul Chargois, the Chamber’s 2015 Chairman. Chargois is president and CEO of SoutheastTexas. com and publisher of the EventsBook.

The Annual Meeting will be held at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center located at 3401 Cultural Center Drive in Port Arthur. The award reception will begin at 6 p.m., and the dinner and program at 7 p.m.

For more information or to reserve your seat please go online to portarthurtexas.com or call Paige Snyder, Al Caldwell 409.963.1107.

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SoutheastTexas.com by the numbers

A Million Matters Since Jan. 1, 2014, 2.25 million people have accessed SoutheastTexas.com having more than 10 millions sessions on the site and viewing more than 126 million pages.

The top categories in order of most visited in 2014 were: Classifieds Autos Real Estate Singles Motorcycles Outdoors Job Seek

Nowhere else can you advertise, buy, sell or trade in Southeast Texas and get as many people to see your information than on SoutheastTexas.com.

Everyone gets one free classified ad a month. Create your account today and see why millions matter.

The top Classified categories visited in order in 2014 were: ATV Boats Garage Sales Dogs Hunting Cellular Free Dogs Livestock Fire Arms Horse/Equestrian

The community is invited to place one ad a month for FREE! Call for information, 409.832.9869 If you want to buy and sell local, YOUR best choice is SoutheastTexas.com.

Contact live support at www.southeasttexas.com/help/index2.cfm or call 409.832.9869, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

classified pick of the month

David Newton Guitars David Newton has been making custom guitars for 40 years. The 63-year-old Beaumont native, son and grandson of woodcarvers, discovered a passion for guitars as a child while hanging out in his father’s wood shop where he and his buddies would play Beatles songs with simple guitars they crafted.

While in the Navy, Newton read books about the art of building handcrafted guitars during his spare time, and in 1975, when he finished his career in the Navy, he decided to open his own wood shop making one-of-a-kind, vintage-style, custom guitars.

David Newton Guitars consist of a “standard” trim, a Honduras mahogany neck with built-up heel and headstock, double-acting truss-rod, unbound rosewood fret board with pearl dots, rosewood pin bridge, wood binding, a purling with a pearl "N" logo on the headstock overlay and each of his guitars have the date they are made inside of them. Since Newton guitars are custom, clients can personalize the designs on the neck and trim to their liking.

What’s so great about a hand-made, customized guitar? “They sound great,” said Newton.

Newton hand selects the wood and uses a particular kind of animal hide glue, both of which provide for a better vintage, acoustic-sounding guitar. Newton has made approximately 100 guitars during his career including a guitar for Matt Del Olmo, the guitar player for the band “Chicken Brown Cow Strings,” and YouTube modern country blues sensation Scott Tsai. Size and prices of guitars are listed at right.

To purchase a David Newton guitar call/text David at 409.835.7099 or email him at dnewton4022@ sbcglobal.net. Also visit his website davidnewtonguitars.squarespace.com for more information.

Are you a Southeast Texas artisan who advertises on SoutheastTexas.com?

Contact us to be featured in this section.

Call 409.201.9934 or email shelly@southeasttexas.com.

Guitar sizes & Prices: Dreadnaught: 15-3/4" wide, 5" deep PRICE: Mahogany & Spruce - $4,200/Rosewood & Spruce - $4,600.

Grand Concert 000-size: 15" wide, 4-3/8" deep Blues Town, L-00: 14-1/2" wide, 4" deep PRICE: Mahogany & Spruce (American grown favorite) - $3,400/Rosewood & Spruce - $3,800.

Sabine, 00-size: 14" wide, 4" deep 0-size: 13-1/4" wide, 4" deep PRICE: Mahogany & Spruce - $2,900/Rosewood & Spruce - $3,200.

Size-1: 13" wide, 4" deep Size-2: 12-1/2" wide, 4" deep Size 2 & Size 1 Guitars - Parlor Guitars PRICE: Mahogany & Spruce - $2,800/Rosewood & Spruce - $3,100 Guitars in production

Blowing wheat fretboard

Finished guitar David as a child

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sneak peek february

Cookie Nation

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez

Celebrate the good times of Mardi Gras in Southeast Texas. The Thin Mints and Caramel DeLites. PeaOrange Mardi Gras Parade is Feb. 7 and Mardi Gras in Port Arthur is nut Butter Patties and Lemonades. It’s Feb. 12-15 with parades and concerts every day. In Beaumont seniors Girl Scout Cookie time. Cookies can be celebrate Mardi Gras Feb. 12 at the Beaumont Civic Center. ordered NOW for delivery in February or wait until you see our Golden Coast Community Girl Scouts at your local Habitat for Humanity will crown a new stud – grocery stores selling all your favorite Mr. Habitat 2015 – with the golden hardhat and varieties. It’s hard to resist a Girl Scout hammer, Feb. 21. Call 409.832.5358 for tickets. super seller or a box of deliciousness for only $4 a box. For more information about our local Girl Scouts, go to their Family Services of Southeast Texas' website at southeasttexasgirlscouts.org.

Celebrate Families Luncheon is Feb. 14.

They’ll honor volunteers, business leaders and families. Get a seat 409.833.2668.

Community theater gets comical

Find the Studs

Support Families

Laugh it up

when the Orange Community Player’s present The Dixie Swim Club, Feb. 12, 13, 14,19, 20, 21, 22.

Gumbo for the Girls

The Girls’ Haven 21th Annual Gumbo Festival is Feb. 21 in the Parkdale Mall Parking Lot from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission and Parking are FREE. A large gumbo or four smalls is $7. For information call, 409.832.6223.

Show Your Love with Tickets

Have a date night for Valentine’s Day that includes live celebrity entertainment. Get your Blue Suede Shoes on for the Ultimate Tribute Artist – Elvis Lives! – at the Julie Rogers Theatre, Feb. 10. On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, Chris Tucker takes the stage at Ford Park.

Have a Heart

The American Heart Association’s Golden Triangle Heart Ball honoring Chuck and Becky Mason and Dr. Michael Oszczakiewicz is Feb. 28. Reserve your seat at 409.550.1753 or go to goldentriangleheartball.heart.org.

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event listings Weekly Fridays 7:30 AM Beaumont Business Connection, MCM Elegant Hotel, 409.838.6581 Saturdays & Sundays 8:00 AM Groves Outdoor Flea Market, 409.728.9797 Sundays 7:00 PM Swingout Sundays, Masonic Lodge, 409.338.9099 1 8:00 AM Resolution Run, Hike and Bike Trail 8:30 PM New Year's Eve Dance/Party, Jefferson County Single Adults Club, 409.727.0013 2 10:00 AM ARC of Greater Beaumont Mom's Talk, S.T.A.R.S. Pediatric Center, 409.838.9012 4 5:00 PM WWE Live, Ford Arena, 409.951.5400 6 7:30 AM Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation Economic Forecast Breakfast, Holiday Inn & Suites, 409.838.6585 8 7:30 AM Better Business Bureau Morning Mix Tour, Atria Collier Park, 409.835.5951 x. 117 9 7:30 PM Classic Movie Nights: The Godfather, 1, Jefferson Theatre, 409.838.3435 10 7:05 PM OXFC of Texas vs. Hidalgo La Fiera, Ford Arena, 409.951.5400 11 9:15 & 10:30 AM and 6 & 7 PM A Pilgrimage Through the Gospel of Luke, Calder Baptist Church, 409.892.4251 12 6:00 & 7:00 PM A Pilgrimage Through the Gospel of Luke, Calder Baptist Church, 409.892.4251

13 7:30 AM SETX YPO Breakfast With The Boss, MCM Elegant Hotel, 409.838.6571 15 11:15 AM Business First Membership Lunch, MCM Elegant Hotel, 409.838.6581 16 10:00 AM ARC of Greater Beaumont Mom's Talk, S.T.A.R.S. Pediatric Center, 409.838.9012 7:30 PM Classic Movie Nights: The Godfather, 2, Jefferson Theatre, 409.838.3435 17 9:00 AM Rose Seminar, Beaumont Botanical Gardens, 409.842.3135 7:00 PM Golden Triangle Boxing Texas Shootout, Montagne Center, 832.215.7609 7:05 PM OXFC of Texas VS. Brownsville Barracudas, Ford Arena, 409.951.5400 18 11:00 AM Bridal Show, Beaumont Civic Center, 409.838.3435 11:00 AM Liberty County Cinderella Preliminary, Cleveland Civic Center, 713.806.3903 21 7:00 PM Harlem Globetrotters, Ford Arena, 409.951.5400 22 11:30 AM SETX YPO Quarterly Membership Lunch, MCM Elegant Hotel, 409.838.6581 23, 24 & 25 8:00 AM Kountze Big Thicket Trade Days, 409.880.5667 24 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM Dual Seminars Bill "The Grill" Cooper, 10th Planet Beaumont, 409.554.0045 27 6:00 PM Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, Robert A. (Bob) Bowers Civic Center, 409.963.1107

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29 4:00 PM Golden Triangle Reverse Trade Show, Robert “Bob” Bowers Civic Center, 512.646.6410 6:30 PM Julie Rogers Gift of Life Annual Meeting, MCM Elegant Hotel, 409.833.3663

cartoon corner

30 7:30 PM A Vintage Affair Wine Tasting, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 409.832.3432 31 10:30 AM Paint Your Pet Workshop, Stark Museum of Art, 409.886.2787

EventsBook

6:30 PM Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Foundation’s La Soiree: NY State of Mind, Beaumont Civic Center, 409.212.6110 7:05 PM OXFC of Texas vs. Monterrey Flash, Ford Arena, 409.951.5400

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For More Events, go to Southeasttexasevents.com.

To see the Performing Arts including concerts go to page 26 and to see Visual Arts go to page 27.

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the last word

A Fond Farewell to Southeast Texas

By Kate Strickland I’m writing this final EventsBook article from a hotel room at the Big Texan Steak Ranch Motel and Lodge in Amarillo, Texas. My earthly possessions are packed into a rental car parked out front, and I’m resting for the night after completing the first 10 hours of my 18-hour drive to Denver. That gave me a lot of time to reflect on the past three years of life in Southeast Texas, and there are many things that I will remember fondly, or dare I say, even miss.

Far and away my favorite thing about Southeast Texas is the Southeast Texans! The people are bar none some of the most down to earth, kind and honest that I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know. Most striking to me was the way that people always offered to help me out in any situation – and they were always genuine in offering.

Anything from delivering my lawn mower after a service because I didn’t have a car that it could fit in to dropping moving boxes off at my front door, and everything in between. Back up North, it’s considered more polite to just mind your business and wait for someone to ask for help before offering it.

But I see now that sometimes, life takes a village!

I’ll also miss the small-town feel that Beaumont offered us. Coming from a metro area of nearly 3 million people, I appreciated the change in pace that a town of 100,000 provided. Not having to look for a parking space when I came home, letting my dog explore off leash and easy errand running are things I’ll miss after we’re situated back in the city.

The beautiful winter weather sure was nice, too.

This was my favorite time of year to get outside,

catch up on my list of house projects and visit family. It just didn’t make up for the other nine months each year. Three years later, and I still don’t think I adjusted to the stifling swampy summers and mosquito bites. Although, many Southeast Texas natives told me that no one ever actually gets used to it, and I believe them. When it comes down to it, I’ll take snow shoveling over mosquitoes any day of the year!

And of course we will miss the main reason we ended up in Beaumont to begin with: my husband’s family. Our time here provided us the opportunity to grow close with an aunt, uncle, cousGot their Southeast Texan on: Adam and Kate Strickland with their American Bulldog, Penny Crusher.

in, cousin-in-law and second cousin (and probably some I’m forgetting!) whom we hadn’t seen much of for the 10 years prior. I’m certain we’ll be seeing more of each other now that they can come visit us in a place where people flock to vacation!

So goodbye for now, Beaumont. I’m a Colorado girl at heart, but I think a piece of me will forever stay in Southeast Texas. You were home for my first move across the country, for my marriage, first home purchase and many other fond memories.

We’ll be back from time to time…but for now, we bid you a fond farewell!

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