Discover361 April/May 2023 Edition

INSIDE

FASHION FEATURE GET INTO YOUR GROOVE

Happy Easter and happy spring.

We are celebrating spring in many ways throughout this issue of Discover 361.

You can’t have spring without wildflowers. We turned to the DeWitt County Shutterbug Photography Club to get insight into photographing nature’s beautiful blooms. We used some of their amazing, breathtaking photos, too. I bet you will say “wow” at least once while looking at their photos.

It’s also the time of year when people head outside to plant their spring gardens. The Victoria County Master Gardeners give us some tips on how to have a successful garden.

We also explore building a low-maintenance, climatetolerant garden using xeriscaping.

Our fashion section is replete with spring with Boho fashions. The fun photo package features fashions from the Happie Hippie in Victoria.

For those who want to hit the road, we took a day trip to El Campo. The small Wharton County town has a lot to offer, from mom-and-pop eateries and shops to museums, to wood crafters, to the world’s largest water park at an RV park.

We added two bonus stories from El Campo, with features on locally owned restaurants Pinchers Restaurant and Greek Bros. Oyster Bar and Grill. Both are well worth a visit.

Downtown Victoria has had some changes. We took a walking tour with Torin Bales to talk about the importance of bringing new life to old buildings.

We also talked to Victoria custom home developer Steve Klein about his new project to redevelop the Diamond Hill area.

We have so much to offer in this issue. Also, tucked inside we are offering a prize for story ideas for this magazine. We are always looking for great story ideas. Look inside, then send us your ideas. Who knows, we may use one of your ideas.

We hope you enjoy our celebration of spring.

Becky Cooper Managing Editor

GENERAL MANAGER

George Coleman

SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

Wendy Duke

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

Kyle Motal

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Keith Kohn

MANAGING EDITOR

Becky Cooper DESIGNER

Kimberley Bailey

WRITERS

Leo Bertucci

Becky Cooper

Kyle R. Cotton

Keith Kohn

Duy Vu

Jon Wilcox

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Chase Cofield

Keith Kohn

Duy Vu

SPECIAL TO DISCOVER 361

Torin Bales

Tamara Diaz

Kit MacAvoy

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Torin Bales

Michele Bennett

Marsha Gibson

Glenn Robertso

Kit MacAvoy

Dayna Wiles | Images By Dayna

ON THE COVER

Alana Salas, Bailey Sandhop, Ana Reyes and Deborah Mussett

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Dayna Wiles | Images By Dayna

© 2023, M. ROBERTS MEDIA 101 W. Goodwin Ave., Suite 1200 Victoria, TX 77901

info@discover361.com

361-575-1451

5th Annual VARSITY CUP AWARDS

Tuesday, May 16th

Guest Speaker

Jerheme Urban

Stroman High School Graduate, current Football Head Coach at Trinity University. Coach Urban had a nine-year career in the National Football League. The talented wide receiver played for the Seattle Seahawks; Arizona Cardinals, including the 2008 Super Bowl team; and Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Urban amassed 91 receptions for 1,256 yards and eight touchdowns in his career.

Title

Red

8 MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Victoria's master gardeners volunteers sow the seeds of gardening one plant at a time.

12 PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW Torin Bales revitalizes downtown Victoria.

16 VISUALS

New homes in historic Diamond Hill breathe life into downtown Victoria.

20 VISUALS

John Fossati utilizes xeriscaping to give homes beautiful landscapes that adapt to climate.

24 VISUALS

Director Joshua Shultz turns Victoria into a mini Hollywood with music videos.

12

40

29

29 VISUALS

Amateur photographers capture beauty of abundant wildflowers.

40 FASHION

Happie Hippie keeps love, peace and fashion in its heart.

44 HEALTH & BEAUTY

MMA offers fitness plus self defense to all ages.

48 FOOD

Greek Bros. is serving up food with these delicious recipes.

54 FOOD

Pinchers brings in customers with sweet treats and seafood.

54

79

58 DAY TRIP

El Campo has so much to offer in a small rustic package.

58 CULTURE & EVENTS

After 25 years of touring Jarrod Birmingham still has songs to write and venues to play.

72

OUT AND ABOUT

See who was Out and About with Tony Vasquez at recent events.

79

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SOWING THE SEEDS OF GARDENING One plant at a time

STORY BY LEO BERTUCCI | LBERTUCCI@VICAD.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHASE COFIELD | CCOFIELD@VICAD.COM

Victoria’s most experienced gardener wants to keep his thumbs green for as long as possible.

Ed Gregurek, 94, learned how to plant seeds and prepare soil when Americans were dealing with the Great Depression. Today, he is the only active member of the inaugural class of Victoria County Master Gardeners.

On a Monday morning in late February, Gregurek assembles

benches for the covered arbor area of the Victoria Educational Gardens. He enjoys building and fixing all sorts of things because he grew up during a time when his family could not replace a broken item with something new.

“You had to learn to take care of what you had,” said Gregurek, who was raised in Ganado.

The Depression pushed Gregurek’s family to find food sources without relying on a grocery store.

“In the country, you raised

everything you needed,” Gregurek said. “I learned how to garden, hunt and fish and do anything I could to sustain life.”

Gregurek joined the Army Medical Corps during World War II, serving in Japan, New Guinea and the Philippines.

After the war, Gregurek used his knowledge of the human anatomy to help the American Graves Registration Service in Manila, Philippines identify soldiers who had been declared

The Texas mountain laurel is in bloom at the Victoria Education Gardens.

missing in action.

“I had the privilege, the opportunity to do something to help mankind,” Gregurek said.

The work ethic Gregurek gained while living through tough times is admired today by his fellow Master Gardeners.

“The little man can outwork both you and me,” Brynn Lee, one of the chairs of the Victoria Educational Gardens board, said.

Gregurek and other Master Gardeners work at the educational garden from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Thursdays. The garden sits across from the Victoria Regional Airport’s air traffic control tower.

Open since 2003, the educational garden spans over 2 acres, Lee said. It contains 19 gardens, such as the Texas native plants garden, the international garden and the butterfly haven.

Pat Plowman, another Victoria County Master Gardener, said the gardeners grow, among other things, blackberries, blueberries, citrus, grapes and peaches in the vegetable area.

“We change out vegetables each season,” Plowman said.

The complex also features a koi pond, which sits where an Olympicsized swimming pool used to be. Soldiers at the Foster Air Force Base used the pool during training exercises.

“When the pool was in use, parachuters in training ziplined across the pool and dropped into the water,” Lee said.

Plants are labeled with their name and information on how to grow them, Lee said,

“If you come and tour without master gardeners on site, you can

HOW TO BE A MASTER GARDENER

• Master Gardener classes start in January

• Students spend 4 hours a week in class, for a total of 50 hours

• Speakers from the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service teach lessons on pesticides, fertilizers and insects

• Students in the program are considered to be an intern until the graduation ceremony in December

• Interns are required to complete 40 volunteer hours (examples: working at the educational garden and helping with the spring plant sale)

• Master Gardeners are required to have at least 20 volunteer hours a year

• For more information, visit the Victoria County Master Gardeners Association Facebook page and website

I had the privilege, THE OPPORTUNITY to DO SOMETHING to HELP MANKIND

- Ed Gregurek

Cathy Koenig pots mealy blue sage for the plant sale at the Victoria Educational Gardens.

see the information and learn what you’d like to have in your garden,” Lee said.

The educational gardens hosts tours for students around the Crossroads. The kids get an opportunity to see how the vegetables they eat are grown.

“We ask kids where their vegetables come from and they say, ‘H-E-B,’” Lee said. “When they see where a tomato comes from, their eyes pop out.”

More than 1,000 kids visited the educational gardens last year, Lee said. Groups came from as far as Houston.

From June 5-9, the Master Gardeners will host a camp for kids ages 6-12. Lee said the week’s activities include lessons on bugs and plants, a watermelon seed-spitting contest, crafts and guest speakers like AgriLife Extension agent Matt Bochat, who once brought a possum for show and tell.

The camp costs $65 for the whole week.

“The volunteers will show the kids how they can grow their own vegetables,” Lee said.

With its 125 members, the Victoria County Master Gardener Association is suitable for those who want to build camaraderie with other green thumbs in Victoria County, Lee said. There is also plenty of planting, watering and weed-pulling to do.

“I work harder in the garden than I did at my workplace,” said Lee, who is retired.

TIPS FROM THE MASTER GARDENERS

To grow a garden like a Master Gardener, consider joining the program itself. Gregurek said the classes for prospective Master Gardeners teach everything a green thumb would need to know.

“You’ll need to learn how to prepare the soil. Finding where to plant, like which part of the yard, is a very important thing,” Gregurek said. “You have to make sure your garden is accessible to water.”

Gregurek said that unless a gardener plans to donate vegetables to a charity, they should only worry about growing enough food for themselves and their family.

Gardeners work in the greenhouse maintaining plants at the Victoria Educational Gardens.

Master Gardener Pat Plowman and Karla Davis look over the koi fish pond at the Victoria Educational Gardens.

Plants at the Victoria Educational Gardens.

Growing Texas native plants, like the rangoon creeper and the almond verbena, could be a fun experience because natives are colorful and they adapt well to the Crossroads, Master Gardener Sandy Knief said.

“I think it’s a good idea to start with a small garden,” said Knief, who has been a Master Gardener since 1999. “The native area (at the Victoria Educational Gardens) has a lot of pretty green stuff that didn’t freeze this winter.”

Knief said Master Gardeners will sometimes receive native plants from their friends, or they will buy some at local nurseries.

For those who would like to attract butterflies to their garden, Knief recommends the blue mistflower and the butterfly weed, which can attract monarch butterflies.

Master Gardener Pat Plowman believes Texas natives are easy to plant and care for.

“As long as you plant the seeds, put a little bit of dirt on them and water them, they don’t need fertilizer, or even soil,” Plowman said.

Another benefit of native plants is that gardeners do not have to worry about the deer eating them, Plowman said.

The Master Gardeners are Victoria’s horticulture experts, but they often take time to learn something new, Knief said.

“We get tips from Master Gardeners, or we go to different classes and we learn different things,” Knief said.

UPCOMING EVENT

VICTORIA MASTER GARDENERS’ SPRING PLANT SALE

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or when everything is sold, May 6

WHERE: Victoria Educational Gardens, 259 Bachelor Drive

MORE INFORMATION: Most plants for sale are cultivated by Master Gardeners, but some are from local nurseries.

ONE MAN’S QUEST to BRING LIFE to downtown Victoria

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEITH KOHN | KKOHN@VICAD.COM

Strolling along Main Street in downtown Victoria is like a walk down Memory Lane for Torin Bales.

Bales, 60, is a 28-year resident of Victoria and is seen by some as the “Unofficial Mayor of Downtown Victoria,” though he doesn’t quite see himself in that light.

No matter which way you look on Memory Lane, odds are Bales has had a hand in a restoration or improvement. Some of the most

popular restaurants, businesses and offices have a little bit of Bales in them.

The Moonshine Drinkery building was the first one he restored.

“It was owned by David Clifton, who was a woodworker here in town,” Bales said while walking along Memory Lane. “You know, I had this interest in downtown because we've always lived downtown.”

Bales won’t claim to be the unofficial mayor of anywhere, and

actually avoids politics. But he does acknowledge his part in the ongoing revival of the city’s core. And while he’s bought and restored downtown properties for years, he attributes the beginning of the area’s rebirth to the opening of El Paso Tacos & Tequila on Main Street, one of the historic buildings he’s restored along Memory Lane.

Downtown Victoria wasn’t known as a destination back then, Bales said. “Other than 205 (Greek's 205),

El Paso Tacos & Tequila on Main Street is seen by Torin Bales as the anchor of downtown Victoria. It's open seven days for lunch and dinner, meaning it draws people downtown and keeps them there. This is the foot traffic he sees as the ingredient that helped revitalize the city center. His restoration work earned a plaque on the wall.

Moonshine was it at the time, the only other bar down here.”

“You need more than one bar, you need multiple bars, multiple restaurants, but we needed an anchor. And that's the answer,” he said motioning to the Tex-Mex restaurant, which is part of a chain and not locally owned.

“We bought that building. And when I first did it, I didn't realize in doing it how big it was. And so I was like, what am I going to do with this?” Bales said. He opened an events venue for weddings, but that interfered with his day job, a jeweler.

He worked it out so a friend who owned an event center would operate the venue. Then COVID-19 hit.

“A cool story we have about El Paso is we happened to be home this weekend in the summer and I was in my recliner about to fall asleep, and I get a call,” he explained. That was from Roy Chavez, whose family owns El Paso and Pedros. “And they have, I think now, 94 locations.”

“Roy called me and said, ‘Hey, I saw that you had a building for sale,’ and I said. ‘Yes, and-or for lease.’ And he said, ‘Well, we have, my family has, a restaurant and I just wanted to ask you about it.’ So he asked me a few questions.”

The rest is the start of the downtown revival’s history. “He said what happened is they have family in The Valley and they were driving back to Louisiana, missed their turn and ended up in Victoria. And he said, ‘I

want to go downtown because I've always been curious, you know, what's downtown.’

“They drove through downtown. His wife saw the 212, which is the address of the building, and she said, ‘Look. That's my birthday.’ And so they stopped. And she goes, ‘Oh look, it's for lease.’ And so they stopped and they called me. I ran over here, I … showed him the building and we basically had a handshake.”

And a revived downtown was born.

“There's our anchor. He’s open seven days a week, lunch and dinner. And that was what was really important, because a lot of restaurants either close for lunch or they don't open for dinner or they close early for dinner. Or they aren't open on Sundays.

“But they're, this one, is open every day. They're not closed on the weekends.”

It became a catalyst for more business, Bales said.

“I'm friends with George (Charkalis) at 205. I'm friends with Beau (Buchholz) at Moonshine. This restaurant has … I mean it has massively increased their business since they've opened.”

He owns a building across from El Paso Tacos & Tequila that’s now occupied by another pub, the 5D Tavern, which opened Feb. 6.

5D owner Brianne Dlugosch said she had always been attracted to downtown Victoria and saw it as “a growth opportunity.” So when more

businesses started opening, drawing more and more people downtown, she jumped in with a “totally different concept” than what she’d been used to — the 5D Steakhouse, which closed recently on North Navarro Street.

“I thought it would be perfect for downtown Victoria,” Dlugosch said. The tavern is the “first of many” and so far it’s working out well.

What drew her was the growth, fueled, as Bales said, by her new neighbor, El Paso.

Her goal was to bring an upscale tavern downtown serving cocktails crafted by her experts on a fresh cocktail menu, and local wines.

As for the tavern itself, she hired an architect, provided the building as “a blank slate” and “he really helped bring it to life.” She said the back bar is solid oak, with a rich real-wood feel. She utilized the original concrete floor and red brick walls.

“We wanted to keep that old-world feel,” Dlugosch said.

Since its opening, the tavern has been busy, if not packed, most nights, especially on weekends. It, too, is bringing new life to downtown.

“I own this building,” Bales said, pointing to the 5D Tavern. “It's the first building that we put a new roof on and it's the first building where I've actually just basically handed her the keys because she's such a great person and does such a great job. I knew she would do it better than I could do it and she did.”

“The reason she came is because of the energy of El Paso, ‘I want to be as close to El Paso as I can be,’ she told him.” Because of El Paso, because of 5D, because of Moonshine, we have the Water Well Cafe coming from Goliad. … Same thing with Another Pour Decision. So the energy was built off of El Paso.”

Bales said his passion was not revitalization. Rather, it was retail. He’s been a jeweler for more than two decades. “Retail is my first love and passion, but when I thought about downtown, it was ‘OK, what can we do to make downtown not only do well, but survive?’ Again, you’d come down on the weekend and no one was here. You come in the evenings

Torin Bales stands outside one of his favorite restoration projects, the Edward Jones building that once housed the Victoria Advocate.

after 5 o’clock, no one was here. And how can we change that?”

Bales has taken run-down building after run-down building and turned them into gems. There’s the former Victoria Advocate building that dates to 1926, now occupied by the Edward Jones financial planning office. The building, he said, had been vacant for as long as 40 years, until he restored it. It’s one of his favorites.

“I'm a big curb appeal person,” he said. “And I always use an analogy that once one person has shined their shoes, then other people will shine their shoes as well. I think that's happened.”

Along his stroll, Bales greets people, almost as if he’s an unofficial mayor of downtown or something. “How you doing, buddy?” he says to one person. “How are you sir? Good to see ya,” he remarks to another.

“It's funny, downtown. I always compare living down here, it’s almost like you’re living in the country in a way. It's almost like you’re living in a country town,” Bales said.

Around the corner and down the street are two more storefronts he’s restored.

“We bought the two buildings over here, where the Rhinestone Boutique is and where June & Jade is,” he said. “So what I did there, because I wanted to keep it as original as I could, so they had modernized the two locations, we repaired and fixed the awning and painted it, of course, we didn't go to the trouble of taking out the transom windows and put windows back because the way the inside is it didn't allow it.

“But what we did do is, one of them was stucco, the other one was this pink brick. So — at some point the ’60s ’70s — they tried to modernize these buildings. What I did is I found brick as close as I could to what the original was, and we rebricked the front of them. To make it, to give it that original feel.”

When purchased, they needed a lot of work. Paint, flooring, lighting and the restrooms all replaced. “And I could have leased these two buildings 20 times,” he said. “I mean, there's that many people wanting space, nice space especially, so you put a little

bit of love onto these buildings and people see it and they want it.”

Another block, another building, that one occupied by GSM Insurors. “We bought that building and didn't have to do a whole lot to it,” Bales

said. “We did some interior work and changed the awnings from green to black, painted the outside, repaired the stucco, cleaned up the landscaping, so we kept it original. And that building was probably built

The Harco building was restored from a pale stucco building to a clean modern building for the boutique at 505 E. Juan Linn St.

The 5D Tavern is owned by Torin Bales but was restored by 5D owner Brianne Dlugosch. “I thought it would be perfect for downtown Victoria,” Dlugosch said of the tavern, just across Main Street from El Paso Tacos & Tequila. She added highend finishes to the tavern, turning it almost overnight into a destination.

The Moonshine Drinkery has a lot of custom work, Torin Bales said, including custom wood doors, central heat and air, a restroom, the awning and wood finishes. It opened as a blues bar but closed a few years later and he sold it. The current owners created Moonshine, which has been far more successful.

in the '50s. So it was not a historical building.”

The walk could go on and the number of buildings add up. Just about each building he’s restored has been honored with an award from Victoria Preservation Inc.

“It's nice that they have that, and it's nice to be recognized,” he said. “But more importantly than that, again, the end game, where it takes all of us; it doesn't take just one person. And, you know, there's no way one person could do it all on their own, it takes everybody.”

One goal is to bring more residences downtown. Many buildings downtown have storefronts on the ground level and unused space on the second floor. That

space could be converted to apartments, Bales said.

“I'm hoping it will happen next,” he said. “I think it will. Office space on the first level … and they've got their upstairs because there's quite a few here that have upstairs. They’ll live upstairs and rent the bottom or they'll lease the upstairs for a living.”

Another block, another building or storefront. There’s so much potential downtown for him and as each property is purchased and leased, he knows the market will tighten and costs will rise.

But also rising will be the success of downtown and its growing list of businesses.

And it all started because Torin Bales saw the need for an anchor tenant downtown.

Photo courtesy of Torin Bales

The Victoria Advocate building, built in 1926, was restored by Torin Bales into the Edward Jones building.

STORY BY TAMARA DIAZ | SPECIAL TO DISCOVER 361 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHASE COFIELD | CCOFIELD@VICAD.COM

Gary Dunnam, onetime director of the Victoria Preservation, Inc., once asked Josephine Jecker Lawrence, who was born in 1900 in the Diamond Hill neighborhood in Victoria, why the place was called Diamond Hill.

"Why, it's because all of us rich people live here," she responded, Dunnam wrote in an April 2000 article. After the pair "burst into peals of laughter," Lawrence regained her composure and said, "I always thought it was because the land was valuable here, being so high above the river. It never floods."

Diamond Hill, like all things, has gone through metamorphoses through time. It was once a neighborhood of Victorian mansions and the popular center of social activity, Casino Hall. A couple wealthy Indianola residents even brought their family's mansions from that doomed coastal city to have them reassembled on Diamond Hill.

Sam Houston gave a two-hour campaign speech in a park on Diamond Hill in 1857.

A large portion of Diamond Hill was a "Black neighborhood," home to the Victoria Colored School and some of the first Black churches in Victoria, formed by freed people.

Diamond Hill, according to a 1993 Victoria Advocate article, is the center of an imaginary box

made by William, Navarro, Juan Linn and Water streets. The town's first hanged criminal was dropped from a tree on Diamond Hill in 1838, Dunnam wrote.

In the 600 block of South Wheeler Street, in the heart of Diamond Hill, Victoria's first hospital, Valley View Hospital, was opened in 1900. In 1922 Valley View Hospital was replaced by the bigger facility, Victoria Hospital, on the same city block.

"The advantages of Diamond Hill were not lost on Dr. Hugh Crouse as he selected the 600 block of South Wheeler Street for his new — and very modern — hospital. Summer sea breezes then, as they do now, passed over the river and cascaded up the hill, providing needed cooling," Victoria Preservation, Inc., reported in its 2017 publication "Historic Homes of Victoria, Texas."

Diamond Hill rises 92 feet above sea level in the 500 block of South DeLeon Street, Dunnam wrote.

Victoria Hospital stayed in operation until 1965, when it was merged with the new DeTar Hospital. The old hospital was sold to the Salvation Army and then later to a private resident who tore down the hospital, according to VPI.

"The old hospital that served Victorians for 65 years has vanished

Our goal was simple... GIVE BUYERS the HISTORIC HOME they want WITHOUT the HUGE EXPENSES of REHABILITATING and RENOVATING an old home - Steve Klein

The kitchen in a newly built modern home in Diamond Hill near downtown Victoria.

Interior of a new modern home in the historic Diamond Hill neighborhood.

The kitchen sink is displayed at one of the new homes.

A bedroom in one of the newly built homes.

into the locked vaults of time," reported Victoria Preservation, Inc.

The city block stood empty of everything but aging oak trees — maybe one is a hanging tree — and the cool sea breezes — until recently.

Custom Builder Steve Klein, of Victoria, bought the land from the Robert J. Hewitt Jr. Estate after Hewitt died in April 2020. He is building eight modern seaside-type homes as a part of the revitalization of downtown Victoria, Priscilla Garcia, new home advisor and designer for Klein, said while walking through the bright, spacy modern homes on the historic hill.

Three floor plans are offered in the eight homes, all with two-car garages.

One of the three finished homes had a second-story balcony. When Garcia opened the door onto the balcony, the sea breeze that soothed so many hospital patients so many years ago, flowed into the house — a welcomed, comforting coolness.

Each home has an open floor plan with a light, airy atmosphere. Modern appliances grace each kitchen, including gas stoves. Each kitchen has the enhancement of a deep, bright white and ageless farmhouse sink.

"Each home features architecturally correct exterior elevations that blend harmoniously with the existing historic homes in Diamond Hill," Klein said.

Klein did the initial design and Garcia completed the plans by "incorporating very specific exterior and interior details," he said.

"Our goal was simple," Klein said. "Give buyers the historic home they want without the huge expenses of rehabilitating and renovating an old home."

The community of eight homes is gated. Garages are at the rear of the homes to maintain the historic front streetscape.

The exteriors are painted bright colors, mimicking seaside cottages.

The homes cost in the mid$400,000 price range.

So here, perhaps, begins another metamorphosis of Diamond Hill, bringing the neighborhood into the modern era, while maintaining her historic beauty and color.

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rocks cactus& More than just

STORY BY KYLE R. COTTON | KCOTTON@VICAD.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT MACAVOY | SPECIAL TO DISCOVER 361

Lush, vibrant yards with easy to maintain landscaping is the dream of most homeowners.

While some homeowners will jump in and build flowerbeds and plant trees that complement their home’s style, others know their limits and opt for a professional to build their dream yardscapes.

Whitney Thomas, who lives on the Thomas Ranch along State Highway 185, knows she loves flowers, but she also knows she doesn’t know how to care for them.

“I wouldn’t touch it myself,” she said. “I like to look at flowers, but I have no use putting my hands in the dirt and dealing with them. I have ferns inside that I over water and kill all the time.”

Years ago, Thomas’ family hired John Fossati of Four Seasons Garden Center to landscape the homes on the ranch.

The family has chosen to go with xeriscaping — low maintenance plants that take little time to care for, but most importantly, save water and can adapt to the hot climate.

About five years ago, Thomas, 45, wanted to incorporate some beautiful plants around her property that require very little maintenance, given she lacks a green thumb and doesn’t often have time to take care of the plants.

Fossati brought Thomas’ yard to its full vision of a colorful landscape with natural, sustainable plants, including moving Texas sabal palms already on the property, Fossati said.

“I love it in the spring when I see the climbing roses on my chimney,” Thomas said. “I love it all.”

TOUGH PLANTS

Some plants can take large amounts of water to keep alive and

others struggle with temperature changes, especially here in South Texas, said Fossati.

That’s where xeriscaping becomes a viable option for those looking to have a more vivid landscape this spring.

Xeriscaping, also known as draught tolerant landscaping, is growing in popularity throughout Texas, according to the Brazos River Authority.

When people think of xeriscaping, they often get the image of what many lawns look like in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, Fossati said.

Images of multiple cacti, small bushes and stone and gravel landscapes instead of grass come to mind, he said.

While these are options for xeriscaping, it is so much more than just that.

Artichoke agave require very little water and thrive in heat, but can be resilient to cold snaps that occasionally hit the Crossroads.

SUSTAINABILITY

Xeriscaping ultimately is about sustainability, he said. Meaning, native plants that can handle the climate require minimal maintenance and are drought tolerant. Angel wings, also known as sea cabbage, are unique both for their pale coloring and velvet texture.

“It's not just cactus. It's a lot of native plants, like lantanas and salvias, that are perennial, and once they're established, they're just as drought tolerant as a yucca or an agave, Fossati said.

The plants go dormant in the winter and then come back and bloom and grow every summer.

“So xeriscaping encompasses a broad range of plants and many of them are native.”

Although some plants aren’t native, they adapt well to the environment.

“I call them adaptive natives. They're not true natives like some of the salvias, like Esperanza and the pride of Barbados. But they are considered a native because they're just as strong and drought tolerant and frost tolerant as some of the regular plants.”

Some of these plants are surprising, given what they are and where they’re used.

BERMUDA GRASS

Homeowners who want to install grass this season might be surprised to learn Bermuda grass, which is commonly found on golf courses neatly trimmed and constantly watered, is an excellent option for xeriscape.

Bermuda grass is hearty grass, Fossati said.

“What's amazing about Bermuda is if we go into a drought, it'll just completely turn brown and shut down,” he said. “Then once we get rain, it comes back to life, so you won't ever lose it. It just goes dormant. So, Bermuda is probably your best bet for low, low water usage.”

PALM TREES

Believe it or not, a palm tree also fits into a xeriscape for South Texas.

Texas sabal palms, as the name implies, are native to Texas and don’t require much to maintain, Fossati said.

The Thomas ranch has palms growing there.

At the main house, some palms are 60 years old, and because of that, birds have carried seeds across the property, Fossati said. The seeds

Unlike their fragile counterparts found in floral shops, drift roses can be remarkably hearty.

have since grown into palms that he has replanted for a few of the other Thomas family homes on the property.

“Once it gets rooted in, it doesn't require any water. And it's very cold hardy. They don't freeze,” he said. “I mean, these went through, of course, this year's freeze, and then two years ago, when it got down into the teens, they didn't even burn. They're very, very slow growing, but they live forever.”

SUCCULENTS

Other plants that make for good xeriscapes in South Texas are succulents and yuccas, Fossati said.

Succulents are plants with thick fleshy tissues in their leaves or stems to store water in dry climates such as cacti and agaves.

Because some succulents are likely to freeze in cold snaps, people must be careful about which succulents they plant, Fossati said.

Homeowners also need to be careful because some succulents attract deer.

One such succulent is aloe vera, which has medicinal uses but is vulnerable to cold temperatures.

Yuccas are tough plants with swordlike leaves that are well-equipped to handle multiple climates, he said.

SAVE WATER, MONEY

In the current environment, when droughts are much more common, xeriscaping can help conserve water and save people a lot of time and money.

“You can cut down on your water usage by like two-thirds. Once the landscape is established, it requires very little water,” he said.

If someone is only incorporating just a few plants into their landscape that fit a xeriscape, they should be able to do it themselves with little issue, Fossati said.

But, if the project is more extensive, the homeowner should consult with a landscaper who can help them make sure any hidden problems are addressed. For example, there may be a need to change the landscape's drainage to accommodate the plants.

Artemisia plants can help bring out the color of more bright and colorful neighboring plants.

Esperanza blossoms tend to attract hummingbirds.

While not technically a plant, cats like Charlie add an interesting element to any garden.

John Fossati places a yucca plant back in its place at the Four Seasons Garden Center.

A type of salvia called “mystic spires blue” offers a sturdy option for gardeners.

Lantanas come in several colors, such as “cherry sunrise.”

Mountain laurel trees are another sturdy option for anyone desiring a bit of height from their plantings.

BEHIND THE SCENES:

MINI HOLLYWOOD IN VICTORIA ’

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEITH KOHN | KKOHN@VICAD.COM

Joshua “J.J.” Santellana Jr. walks with his doctors and mom on the way out of the hospital following successful cancer treatments. The preteen turns and sees his “dad,” runs and jumps into his arms for a big hug as family members and friends smile, cheer and look on. Then, on his way out, the 9-year-old Victoria boy, still wearing a hat to cover a head lacking hair due to the treatments, rings a bell that signifies completion of his therapy.

While J.J. truly is a cancer survivor, this scene, though realistic, is not a

slice of the child’s past or present. Rather, it’s a bit being filmed for a music video by filmmaker Joshua Shultz for the Christian punk rock band MxPx.

Along with J.J. in the video are a handful of Victoria locals. The two “doctors” who are featured in the cast include a real M.D., Dr. John White, a urologist in Victoria who also plays guitar with The Staudt Brothers; and Karissa Winters, who leads the Innovation Collective, has some singles streaming online and writes children’s books. The boy’s “mother”

is Amai ElHadri, an Austin tech expert with Facebook and Instagram. J.J.’s adoring “dad” in the video is Joshua Shultz, the video’s creator, who is trying to turn Victoria into a video and film backlot.

Welcome to Hollywood, South, with a Texas twang.

‘RECORDING! … ACTION!’

Days after the MxPx shoot in Seguin, Shultz recorded another music video, for Los Angeles pop artist Jordan Michelle, whom he’d flown to Victoria for the shoot. Others were on the storyboard, including a relative of

‘

a major Hollywood star and another involving yet another Hollywood celeb.

Filming the MxPx video took numerous takes of each shot. One after another, Shultz, camera in hand or on a tripod — or even sitting in a wheelchair being rolled around for shots — he’d call out, “Recording! … Action!”

The MxPx video included flying in some Hollywood performers, Brianna Peeples and husband Volodymyr Pielikh, who performed in the video as a married couple on the rocks, until she’s injured and he shows his true love for his wife. Peeples and Pielikh are models by trade who also perform in commercials, videos and films.

“They’re arguing and then in the midst of the fight, the wife storms out and ends up getting hit by a car and then the husband's just distraught that something so stupid as any type of fight brought them to the point of her ending up in a car accident,” Peeples said of their roles in the video. “So now, she's in the hospital and he goes for the full emotions of, oh my God, I'm going to lose the love of my life.

And then she wakes up.”

Peeples and Pielikh said working on such tragic scenes brought tears to their eyes.

“We actually cried today, a lot,” he said.

“Yeah, we cried a lot in our scenes. It was really beautiful,” she added.

“He got a lot of really raw emotion out of us,” Peeples continued. “It was amazing and we will definitely be recovering with everything that Victoria and San Antonio can offer us.”

The two have been married for a year and together for three years, though they’ve both been in the business about 15 years. Peeples said she’s worked with Shultz before, so it was an easy decision to fly into South Texas for this latest project.

“I've known Josh since 2018 or 19, and he's great, he's amazing, he's so talented,” she said of the filmmaker. “And it's really, for me personally, I love having talented friends because it makes you feel a little more comfortable, sharing your talents. And it just helps each other grow.

“Watching him work behind the

scenes, then actually working with him, we were 1,000% down to do it again. So, it was an easy decision.”

She said the couple enjoyed their time in Victoria and loved the city and its people.

Since winning twice at the first Viva Texas Film Festival last year, Shultz has visited the area a couple of times and determined he loves the Victoria community, its people and the surrounding region. He said he wants to bring more work here to showcase the city and turn the South Texas area into his filmmaking canvas.

‘A MINI HOLLYWOOD IN VICTORIA’

“Yeah, I’m trying to create a mini Hollywood in Victoria,” Shultz said in an interview. “I know people here and other locations and we can utilize the town to shoot a whole movie, yeah.”

One long-term goal is to fund and film the full version of his awardwinning short “Americana” in the Victoria area as a feature-length project. He said he prefers South Texas for the project rather than the Mojave Desert in Southern California. But he’s not ready to talk about that just yet. There remain too many unanswered questions.

Still, he said he finds the community welcoming and open to productions in South Texas.

“Well, it’s the people, first,” Shultz said. “And then the location, because the more I go around and find locations — I’m really good at seeing potential in places — and then when I drive around here, I'm just like, ‘Oh, this is a great place. This is a good spot for this type of thing. It's a great thing for this kind of shoot.’

“So I think I have that unique background,” he added, “directing so much and doing so many photo shoots, that I get good at utilizing what's available to me.”

And Victoria and the surrounding areas have made plenty available for video shoots.

For the Jordan Michelle video of her upcoming song “Don’t,” Blake and Merri Truax made their new downtown bar and restaurant, Another Pour Decision, available to Shultz as the sound stage.

Left — Filmmaker Joshua Shultz preps his equipment before shooting portions of the music video for Jordan Michelle's upcoming "Don't." Filming was at Another Pour Decision in downtown Victoria. Center — Michelle sings atop the bar during filming of the upcoming video "Don't." Right — Michelle goes through her "wardrobe" with Shultz for the video recording.

Guadalupe Regional Medical Center in Seguin made a hospital room and the hospital lobby available for Shultz to record a portion of a video for the Seattle Christian punk band MxPx when he couldn’t gain access in Victoria. Seguin’s fire department and EMS allowed an ambulance to be used in the filming, as well.

Michelle, who started her career in broadcast news and decided to change her career trajectory after tragedy struck her family, said it didn’t take a lot of convincing for her to travel to Victoria.

“You know, not very much, actually,” she said. “We connected on Instagram and we talked about working together. Then he kind of just made the pitch. And I was like, yeah.”

She continued, “I've always been the type of person to say yes to things. My friends always say that I'm the first person they go to if they need someone to go to an event or take a trip, because they know I'm just going to go. ‘Fine.’

“I'm very like, ‘Life is short. Do that. Take the trip. Spend the money,’” Michelle said. “And honestly, you know, I'm glad I did. It's been, it's been a kick so far (in Victoria).”

That word will spread. Both Michelle and Shultz have posted some of their exploits in Victoria on their Instagram accounts, putting them before nearly 51,000 followers of Shultz and 106,000 followers of Michelle.

“I had a phone call today with someone in Victoria and they were so blown away and grateful for everything that I have been doing,” Shultz said. “There was so much love. My theory is, like, people are great to you, you’re great to them back.”

He also recorded a commercial for J Welch Farms, Mad Batter

Cheesecakes in Port Lavaca and The Hive Wellness Spa in Victoria, then more music videos, including one for local fan favorite Stephanie Ross & the Southern Drive Band. Earlier he filmed a video for Winters’ latest song, “Adore.”

Following a trip to SXSW in Austin, Shultz was headed east to Florida (possibly filming a music video in Miami), and then westward through Tennessee; Colorado and Utah en route to LA. He had another video to produce there, as well.

But he’ll keep that filmmaking Texas twang in his back pocket until he’s back in Victoria.

“If I open things up there (in LA) and get things going, then I'll head back. But until then, I'll probably, you know, travel.”

Dr. John White, a urologist in Victoria who also plays guitar with The Staudt Brothers, and Karissa Winters, the local lead with the Innovation Collective, portray doctors who just told Joshua “J.J.” Santellana Jr. he was finally free of cancer.

Filmmaker Joshua Shultz, center, gets things organized at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center in Seguin during filming for a video by MxPx. The Canon camera he's using in the foreground is designed for filming movies and video.

Joshua “J.J.” Santellana Jr. is filmed by Joshua Shultz as he runs to hug his "dad" during the filming of a music video for the Seattle Christian punk band MxPx.

BASKING IN A SEA OF NATURE’S COLOR PALETTE

STORY BY DUY VU | DVU@VICAD.COM PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE DEWITT COUNTY SHUTTERBUGS PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

BENNETT, GLENN ROBERTSON AND MARSHA GIBSON

Photo by Marsha Gibson

Photo by Marsha Gibson

Amateur photographers capture beauty of wildflowers

Year after year, Texas wildflowers emerge from the ground, using the state’s vast land as its canvas to signal the coming of spring.

And year after year, photographer and DeWitt County Shutterbugs Photography Club member Michele Bennett can be found scouting the Cuero countryside, camera in hand, to capture wildflowers that have turned mundane fields into a vibrant landscape.

“I go a couple of times a week because it’s always changing. There’s always a patch that may have looked pretty good, but the following week would be a really beautiful patch of flowers,” Bennett said. “They would have filled out with something else that may pop in there.”

Train tracks, highway shoulders and desolate roads are the to-go spots that the long-time photographer said she gravitates toward.

Each location offers its positives and negatives, however. Though country roads are better because of the safety aspect, occasionally running into an angry homeowner and their dogs is the trade-off, Bennett said.

“You still have to watch people because I have come across people that are curious and there are people that check up on you to make sure you don’t need help with anything,” Bennett said. “And then there are people that are rude,” she said laughing.

But no matter the location, and what it took to get there, at the end of the day Bennett reaps the benefit of her labor with stunning photographs containing Indian paintbrushes, golden flax, bee balms and the state flower, the bluebonnet.

Coming into this wildflower season, Bennett said she has upgraded to the Canon EOS R7, a high-end mirrorless camera, that took the place of her Canon Rebel T7i.

“Wildflower season is just amazing,” Bennett said. “And we need to appreciate it more and take care of them because our pollinators need flowers to be able to survive.”

Survival of wildflowers is based on one important factor — water, said John R. Thomas, founder and owner of Wildseed Farms.

MOISTURE NEEDED

For Victoria, a region that sits along the Gulf Coast, some of the familiar wildflowers that are coming back include Indian paintbrushes, flax, coreopsis, and of course, fields of bluebonnets, Thomas said.

With over 50 years of experience working on his wildflower farm, and boasting over 1,000 acres of wildflowers in Texas that the farm uses for seed production, Wildseed Farms, in Fredericksburg, stands as the largest wildflower farm in the United States, and the largest bluebonnet seed producer in the world.

“You need rainfall for wildflowers to grow, starting in the fall, around October, November. They grow through the winter and they bloom in the spring,” Thomas said. “You need fall rains and you need intermediate winter rains for a colorful spring.”

Contrary to popular belief, cold weather or a freeze does not stop the growth of wildflowers, Thomas said. That is because most Texas wildflowers are winter annuals, meaning during the cooler season, such as in the fall, the plant begins to germinate. The plant continues to grow and lives beneath the dirt, safe from the winter elements. The flower then blooms in the spring, starts the production of its seed and dies in the following season.

“It’s a rule of thumb, most wildflowers like fairly well drained soils,” Thomas said. “They don’t like where water stands. As long as you’re fairly well drained and you get rainfall, you’re good.”

A cycle of a wildflower is fairly simple, take for instance the bluebonnet. The state flower begins its journey in the fall. Rainfall makes contact with the seeds that are lying in the ground. The seeds begin to germinate and grow into a plant that continues to grow in the ground in the winter.

The bluebonnet blooms in the spring and produces seeds that will drop to the ground where it will lie all summer. The bluebonnet plant, being an annual, dies from the top all the way to the bottom to the root system and the cycle starts over again, Thomas said.

Photo by Michele Bennett

“Most wildflowers in Texas are receding annuals,” Thomas said. “They will only come back if you have had the rainfall in the fall to get germination and ample rain to feed and nourish that plant through the wintertime.”

DON’T SIT ON THE PLANTS

Photographers and spectators who are going to be gazing upon the flowers need to take caution to ensure the flowers will bloom again next spring, Thomas said.

“Be real careful not to sit on the plant because the bloom that you’re taking a picture of develops the seed,” Thomas said. “If you mash that bloom, it’s not going to produce seeds. Sit on the edge and don’t step on them because if you do, that will kill the plant.”

LOVE OF PHOTOGRAPHY

In Cuero, Pastor Glenn Robertson can be found at the First Baptist Church. As a pastor and avid photographer, Robertson is no stranger to getting low to the ground with his camera to capture the wildflowers. Robertson, who is also the president of the DeWitt County Shutterbugs Club, is going into his sixth year leading the club.

Beside spreading the word of God, the full-time pastor spreads the love of photography to those in the area.

“I got interested in photography and most guys will tell you there’s something that led them to it,” Robertson said.

That "something" was Robertson’s late father who would have turned 100 years old this year. His father worked as a long-time engineer and was always seen carrying around a camera tucked in his arms, Robertson said.

Robertson recalled getting together to look at family photos his father took. Then while attending the seminary, Robertson picked up a film camera to begin documenting his own life.

The club’s goal is to promote photography among people, particularly young photographers, through the photo club. The club brings in guest photographers to talk about their work from time to time.

MICHELE BENNETT

“The other side of what we try to do are programs where we teach some of the fine finesses of how to use a camera, how to understand different aspects of exposure and how to work editing tools,” Robertson said. “We educate and inspire people as well in the use of photography.”

GATHERING OF PHOTOS

One of the biggest events the club hosts is the annual DeWitt County Shutterbugs Photography Contest.

Bennett, who also serves as the contest director, said the contest is in its 25th year. The annual contest consists of 10 categories in the adult division, including landscape, portraits, animals, architecture, creative effects and action.

For the first time this year the contest includes two youth categories for the younger photographers. The junior youth category goes through the eighth grade, and the senior division youth category is open to students in ninth to 12th grades.

| CONT. ON PG. 32

GLENN ROBERTSON

The club accepted photos for more than a month then held the judging in late March. The winning photos are on display through April 28 at the Cuero Library.

“And since it’s our 25th contest we are doing a People’s Choice Award. The public can vote for their three favorite pictures,” Bennett said. “A week before we take the displays down, we will gather all of those votes and award the ribbons to the top three for the People’s Choice Awards.”

FINDING FAVORITES

As a resident of Cuero for 30 years, Robertson said he remembered a series of droughts that maimed a population of wildflowers in the area. But nowadays, whenever he goes out to photograph wildflowers, seeing a full field is on the top of his list.

“I really like the blue phacelia, sometimes they’re called blue curls,” Robertson said. “For that flower I would get down and lay literally on the ground and hope a snake doesn’t bite me.”

Marsha Gibson, who joined the club in 2008, began her photography journey by zeroing her lens in on landscapes, clouds, architecture and eventually wildflowers.

“We moved from Corpus Christi in 1997 where we don’t have the wildflowers,” Gibson said. “We moved to DeWitt County, which at one time had wildflowers everywhere in the spring, I thought I had gone to Heaven.”

With two cameras in her inventory, along with a macro and telephoto lenses, the Cuero photographer said making frames of bluebonnets this spring is at the top of her list. She remains hopeful for a good, colorful batch of wildflowers this spring.

With five varieties of bluebonnets spread across the state, Gibson said she is particularly fond of the Sandyland bluebonnet which grows in her yard.

“They’re just fascinating when you see them in a field,” Gibson said. “When you see the whole field covered in blue, it’s incredible.”

HOW TO JOIN

The club meets once a month in the evening at the First Baptist Church in Cuero. The club has about 25 members and is always open to accepting new members of all skill levels.

Anyone interested in joining can find meeting dates posted on the Shutterbugs Facebook page or contact one of the members on the DeWitt County Shutterbugs website.

Membership fees: $15 for adults, $20 for couples and $5 for students.

MARSHA GIBSON

PEACE, LOVE and HIGH-END F ASHIO N

Alana, left, is wearing an Applique Hippie coat, Carnegie Hall T and You Just Love Miner Denims. Bailey is wearing a Cropped Kelley coat, Breaya vest and Charmie trousers and scarf with jewelry. Ana is wearing For Love’s Sake BFT, Patchwork Bird Vijji Kimono and Patchwork Miner trousers and bandana scarf Endless Roses with sterling silver turquoise squash blossom necklace. Deborah is wearing Lover Overalls and RicRac Kelly Western Shirt with headscarf and jewelry from Happie Hippie.

STORY

BECKY COOPER

|

BY

BCOOPER@VICAD.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAYNA WILES | IMAGES BY DAYNA

MODELS

ALANA SALAS, BAILEY SANDHOP, ANA REYES AND DEBORAH MUSSETT

FASHIONS, JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES PROVIDED BY HAPPIE HIPPIE

PHOTO SHOOT LOCATION

HAPPIE HIPPIE FIELD, 5507 N. MAIN ST., VICTORIA

Deborah is wearing Floral Ada Lovelace dress, Penrose Cropped Jacket and chandelier earrings.

Bailey is wearing Carnegie Hall T with Neil Young at Carnegie Hall, Audie trousers and Quiltwork Fancy coat.

Victoria store SPREADS GOOD VIBRATIONS with artisan clothing

Peace and love are her mantra. Making her friends and customers feel special is her goal in life.

“I’m all about spreading peace and love,” said Ana Reyes, owner of the Happie Hippie. “We can all be more kind.”

Outside her store on the edge of Victoria, a sign, written in bright yellow, pink, green and purple chalk, conveys the same message, welcoming all who venture off the highway to shop or just explore the clothing and gift shop.

“Welcome All sizes and colors. All cultures and genders. All beliefs. All religions. All ages and types. All people. Love lives here.”

The message, while meaningful today, carries you back to the ’60s and ’70s, to the days of free spirits, love beads and loose-fitting free-flowing clothes. Back to the day when peace and love were the message from those who wanted us all to get along.

The store is loaded with gifts, from some as small as a smiley face lapel pin to incense to high-end fashions that keep alive the free spirit looks and feel of the ’60s and ’70s, but with modern touches.

Back in the day, bell-bottom pants adorned with patches bearing peace signs, rainbows, smiley faces and the occasional marijuana leaf, were all the fad. They were often paired with peasant style tops or T-shirts, oversize tattered jackets with patches and finished off with a floppy hat and sandals.

Also popular were maxi dresses, baggy shorts and cloth purses with fringe.

Alana is wearing Anna Grace embroidered dress, ranch-style hat and turquoise jewelry.

As fashions have changed, the free spirit of the fashions referred to as Boho have remained.

But Boho is making a renaissance with higher end baggie pants, jackets, overalls, painter’s jumpsuits, dresses, T-shirts and hats.

Reyes carries a high-end selection of Boho fashions. She is the only retailer in Victoria to offer the Boho fashions by Magnolia Pearl Love.

“They represent who we are. We go about spreading peace and love when there is so much hate in the world,” Reyes said of the fashions.

The clothing, which ranges from T-shirts, shorts to blouses, pants, trousers, jackets and coats, is for all ages from 18 to 80.

“I get women of all ages in here looking for the fashions. They tell me

Ana is wearing For Love’s Sake BFT, Bird Applique Miner Denim, Embroidered O’Leary Coat is reversible. Ranch-style hat and Native American sterling silver turquoise jewelry squash blossom necklace.

Bailey is wearing a Cropped Kelley coat, Breaya vest and Charmie trousers and scarf with jewelry.

| CONT. FROM PG. 36

they saw a certain piece somewhere and were unable to get it. Then, they find it in my store and are excited. They say, ‘thank you for carrying her –I love her pieces,’” Reyes said.

The excitement the customers experience when trying on the clothing is part of the overall experience she wants all customers to have, even if they are only looking for a gift item.

“I want my employees to have fun with the customers so they will have fun and feel they have had a whole experience while here,” Reyes said.

A group of women who come to the store on a regular basis told Reyes they come just so they can feel happy,

Alana is wearing cotton denim stripe workwear overalls and Malibu Beauty T. wildflower bouquet.

Deborah is wearing Quiltwork Ines shirt and Charmie trousers.

they come just so they can feel happy, laugh and enjoy their day, she said.

Her staff also makes daily videos for their Facebook page promoting the store.

Although she has been in business as the Happie Hippie for more than four years, the store, housed in an old two-story house, has been open for a year.

Reyes, who was familiar with Magnolia Pearl Love prior to opening the store, was able to start selling the fashion before opening her shop.

She loved the free spirit of the designs and the message of being yourself.

“I love Magnolia Pearl Love because they are us. They spread love. They spread peace. They represent us and what we stand for,” Reyes said.

“They are unique. I fell in love with the way they represent clothing through art. When I bought my first piece, I felt like I was wearing art.”

Magnolia Pearl Love was started in 2002 by Robin Brown in Fredericksburg. It has since grown to be an international business.

Brown sees her business as more than a clothing company. It is a story.

“The body is our vehicle of experience, the threshold between the known and the unknown,” according to her website, magnoliapearl.com.

Her clothing and accessories can be found in boutiques across the United States, including 34 in Texas, and in 12 other countries, according to her website.

The clothing is made in a limited supply. Once an item is sold out, the garment is not available.

“These garments are not mass produced. There are just so many of each made. When it is sold out, there is no more,” Reyes said. The lace and appliques are hand sewn.

The fashion ranges in price from $95 for a T-shirt to $600 to $700 for jackets and pants. The garments never go on sale. Instead, the merchandise is moved around from one retailer to another as new collections are introduced.

The fashion, which is designed to have a cocooning effect, is made as a one-size-fits-most, with buttons | CONT. ON PG. 40

Ana is wearing For Love’s Sake BFT, Patchwork Bird Vijji Kimono and Patchwork Minor trousers, and bandana scarf. Sterling silver turquoise squash blossom necklace.

and belts added to help make the garment fit properly. For example, pants have three buttons on the front waistband and a cinch belt on the back to adjust the waist.

The straps on the overalls are also adjustable.

The pants, jackets, overalls and coveralls are adorned with appliques of large colorful butterflies, birds and flowers, individually sewn into the garment. The pants are double layers in contrasting colors to appear as patches under the distressed fabrics.

For a spiritual expression, the collection offers linen dresses with overlays of lace featuring the Virgin Mary.

The fashion pieces can be worn anywhere, to work, special occasions as well as a night out.

“I saw a woman wearing a long velvet coat at a downtown event,” Reyes said.

She demonstrated how the coats and jackets are versatile and reversible. A pink jacket with the message “You are Magic” embroidered on the back can be reversed to become a golden colored jacket with pineapple designs throughout.

Another attractive element to the fashion is the pieces are machine washable.

While the Magnolia Pearl Love is the main brand she carries, Reyes also offers other artisan brands, including Natural Life, Easel, Moa and Nikola, a Greek leather shoe maker. The artisans are from all over the world.

“We learn about them through word of mouth from other retailers, representatives or their friends. The items are not mass produced.”

Supporting artisans is important because it helps establish the store as one that carries specialty clothing.

“If everyone carried the same thing, then your store wouldn’t

SHOP THE FASHION

Happie Hippie

5507 N. Main St., Victoria 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Saturday.

Ana is wearing RicRac Prairie shirt, Carrington Quilt Coat and Applique Denim overalls, sterling silver Native American turquoise earrings and sterling silver jewelry butterfly brooch with turquoise.

stand out and attract customers, “ explained Reyes’ husband Michael Reyes.

She also carries jewelry to accent the fashions.

Years ago, she owned a store named Chulas in Victoria, which specialized in sterling silver and turquoise jewelry. Her love for natural stones has not faded as she continues to sell turquoise rings, necklaces and earrings.

“I tell customers if you like the design in the stone, you need to get it now, because the next piece you find will not have that design.”

She also carries Dian Malouf silver jewelry.

The Happie Hippie is expanding. Reyes is working to open a second shop, Happie Hippie Bohotique, in April at 209 S. Main St. in downtown Victoria. The new shop will be a boutique that also carries a limited number of gift items.

She will carry her mantra with her to the new store as well, spreading love and peace as she goes.

Alana is wearing Applique Hippie Coat, Carnegie Hall T, and You Just Love Miner Denims..

Deborah is wearing Lover Overalls and RicRac Kelly Western Shirt. Headscarf and jewelry.

SELF DEFENSE FITNESS PLUS MMA OFFERS

Brandon Wakefield coaches a student in his mixed martial arts class for adults at Satoria MMA.

STORY BY KYLE R. COTTON KCOTTON@VICAD.COM

BY CHASE COFIELD CCOFIELD@VICAD.COM

When the image of mixed martial arts comes to mind, people often think of combatants locked in a cage, circling each other, trying to find an opening for a strike or grapple to take their opponent down and leverage the opportunity for victory.

But, beneath the violent displays of twisted limbs, swollen faces and bruised knuckles is a fun way to get fit and stay healthy that brings people together through their passion for the sport.

At Satori MMA, a mixed martial arts gym in Victoria, people of all ages and various experience levels practice and learn different martial art disciplines.

As you enter the gym, you can see family and friends of those training watching. Ring ropes separate the crowd from the mats where people train.

On the right wall hang several bags where people can hone their striking skills. On the left, pictures, championships and trophies hang overhead.

If you come to the gym in the late afternoon, you won’t see championship fighters but children having fun, learning to defend themselves and getting fit.

Satori student Karmalita Alvarez, 9, got involved in the program a few months ago as a hobby, inspired by the playful scraps she gets into with her brother.

Karmalita’s mother brings her to the gym to train, which is her primary way of staying in shape.

During the training session, children work together, practicing the principles of kickboxing as a spotter holds strike pads.

“I love learning about this because you can take what you learn anywhere in life and defend yourself,” Karmalita said.

She enjoys the training as well as the discipline it instills. She must be learning because she managed to beat her brother in a fight after just a few months of training.

“I tripped him. I didn’t really mean to, but you know,” Karmalita said.

While she is still new to the sport, she has her eyes on potentially becoming a fighter when she is older.

PHOTOGRAPHY

“It’s a lot of discipline, but you can have fun at the same time and learn a lot as long as you focus,” Karmalita said.

Brandon Wakefield, Satori MMA gym owner and coach, instills discipline in his younger students through drills such as wall runs, burpees and other activities in a serious but playful environment between kickboxing drills.

As the sun gets closer to setting, Wakefield wraps up the time with his young students with a fun activity, such as a game of tag with a pool noodle.

Once the sun sets, it is time for the adults to train in multiple martial art disciplines including Muay Thai, kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Here students are thrown into the deep end of the training but, in the process, develop a sense of community and camaraderie that keeps everyone accountable.

Greg Johnson, 34, a Satori gym student and fighter, moved to Victoria in 2020 before the gym was sold to Wakefield.

Johnson, who first got into MMA when he was 21 and became an active fighter, met with Wakefield after the transition. He liked how sparring was utilized. He has been active ever since.

“Oftentimes at gyms when sparring is done, it is spar to survive. Here, it is very much spar to learn,” he said. “This is (an activity) for me that you can still compete in after high school.”

The fitness aspect also yielded dramatic results for Johnson.

“About a year ago, I was about 60 pounds heavier than I am now,” he said. “Being here has brought me back from a plateau state of 210 pounds to where I am now…I cut that in four months because it was when I was getting ready for my first fight.”

Johnson sees MMA as a great way to stay in shape because he doesn’t see it as working out.

“It’s something fun that I like to do,” he said. “I hated lifting weights. I don’t like running all that much, but being in here, it's like you are playing a game. Training in a way that doesn’t feel like exercise.”

Brandon Wakefield, owner and coach at Satori MMA, teaches children mixed martial arts in Victoria.

Students put on gear to practice during a session.

Students train during a MMA class.

That sense of fun allows Johnson to enjoy his fitness more. He also likes how his fellow fighters and students create a sense of camaraderie that helps keep each other accountable to each other.

In the gym, late into the evening, it is common to see those in training demonstrate techniques to one another, helping each other along and just enjoying themselves.

The popularity of MMA as a form of training has grown rapidly in the area, and as such, that sense of community should only grow among those training, Wakefield said.

When he first bought the gym in 2020, Satori MMA was one of the only MMA gyms in the area.Now, there are multiple options for the exercise throughout Victoria.

Satori offers a local MMA promotion, Tap or Scrap, which allows people to showcase the skills they learn if they choose.

“It’s a great way to work out, burn calories, get into better shape, but most importantly, learn something that can actually add value to being able to defend yourself,” Wakefield said.

Ultimately, while the training does throw people into the deep end, anyone can pick MMA as a hobby or a way of staying fit.

Brandon Wakefield trains with students at Satori MMA.

RESTAURANT SERVES UP FUN ATMOSPHERE,TASTY FOOD & LIVE MUSIC

STORY BY BECKY COOPER | BCOOPER@VICAD.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUY VU | DVU@VICAD.COM

Opa!

The large lighted “Opa!” sign towering over the back patio tells visitors to Greek Bros. Oyster Bar and Grill they are about to have a fun experience, whether it’s for a full dinner, drinks at one of the five bars or to enjoy a live concert or a combination of all three.

“When people ask us ‘what is Greek Bros.,’ we say it is ‘Chaos and cuisine. Chaotic, yet a cohesive blend of great food and live music’,” said Matthew Charkalis, manager of the El Campo staple.

Nestled on half a city block in downtown El Campo, the restaurant has grown with the town over the past 38 years. The restaurant has expanded three times, and the menu changes often to attract new customers and to keep the regulars. Also growing is the list of well-known and up-and-coming musicians who have performed there.

“It is a challenge but we have great clientele, great customers who have supported us over the years,” Matthew said.

His family owns the business as well as the Greek’s 205 Bar in

Victoria. His family, which includes his father George Charkalis; mother Blanche Charkalis; and brother Garrett Charkalis, operate the Victoria location.

He also credits their employees who work hard to serve the customers’ needs. He explained during the pandemic, they had a core group of employees who were able to keep the restaurant going by offering curbside service and home deliveries.

“It was very humbling,” he said.

When Greek Bros. first opened in 1985, the menu was simple. They only

served Brooklyn-style pizza and fresh oysters on the half shell.

As the restaurant grew, so did the menu. Soon, a full menu was available.

Soon, the business expanded to add a second part, which is home to the exhibition kitchen.

All the meals - usually averaging about 300 on a typical weekend night — are cooked in the long, but narrow, exhibition kitchen in front of the patrons who sit in large red booths or along a bar to watch what Matthew calls “organized chaos.”

“Sometimes it gets pretty lively back here as we are hollering orders to one another. We have a lot of hand gestures that tell each other things, too. We are communicating.” Matthew said.

Ever aware that the customers are watching, they sometimes put on a little show to keep the customers entertained. Sometimes they flame a dish with wine causing a high flame, all the while seriously cooking the meals.

The food is prepped in a service area near the kitchen, so they have room to maneuver in the kitchen.

THE BEGINNING

The Charkalis family comes from a long line of restaurant owners and managers. George’s father Jim Charkalis managed Jimmy Weston’s restaurant in Manhattan, and other relatives owned markets and other eateries in New York and Brooklyn.

Jimmy Weston’s was known to be a hangout for famous stars and athletes of the day, including Frank Sinatra, Leo Durocher, Ed Sullivan and Marlon Brando.

George moved to Texas in 1967 to play football for the Wharton County Junior College football program. He never left.

The family’s restaurant history inspired George and Blanche to follow in the family’s footsteps.

The couple owned two other restaurants, Palmetto Beef and Ale in Edna and Pier 59 in Wharton, before partnering with his brother

Tom Charkalis to open Greek Bros. in 1985.

Their family grew up working at the restaurant learning all the jobs.

After college in 2002, Matthew, who majored in kinesiology at Texas Lutheran University, returned to El Campo, where he went to work for the restaurant.

Then in 2008, when the family opened Greek’s 205 in Victoria, Matthew became manager of the El Campo restaurant, while the rest of the family moved to Victoria.

“We have learned through the years how to do every job here and, although I am the manager, I still do all the jobs here.” Matthew said.

In Victoria, Garrett is the head chef and manager, while George greets customers and is the problem solver. Blanche helps plan gatherings for large groups.

George and Blanche also have a daughter, Kristie, who is not involved with the family business.

The original restaurant is the large hall that now serves as the main dining area as well as the stage and live music venue.

In 1987, they added the grill room

IF YOU GO

GREEK BROS. OYSTER BAR AND GRILL

WHERE: 133 S. Mechanic St. (State Highway 71), El Campo

HOURS: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Closed Sunday.

Bar open Wednesday-Saturday from 5 p.m. to closing.

MORE INFORMATION:

979-543-1757; www.greekbros.com

GREEK’S 205

WHERE: 205 E. Constitution St., Victoria

HOURS: 5-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Bar and kitchen hours vary.

MORE INFORMATION:

361-573-7800; www.greekbros.com

George and Blanche Charkalis

Matthew Charkalis

Interior of the cantina side of Greek Bros. Oyster Bar & Grill in El Campo.

where the kitchen is and in 1991 the cantina on the opposite side of the original restaurant.

Last year, they renovated the patio, enlarging it so it can serve about 80 people.

Matthew won’t eliminate the possibility of future additions to the business as real estate becomes available.

LIVE MUSIC

The El Campo location is known for its live music. The list of well-known performers is huge and continues to grow. The Bellamy Brothers, who have performed there several times over the past 20 years, played to a sold-out crowd in February.

“We have become known among the performers and they want to play here. I think that says a lot about their experiences here in El Campo,” Matthew said.

Another point of pride: three performers at this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo have performed at Greek Bros. in the last five to 10 years — Parker McCollum, Cody Johnson and the Turnpike Troubadours.

“That says a lot about us, too.”

When they first started hosting live music, mostly cover bands performed. By 1990, they started booking bands that performed original music.

Since then, the list of performers has grown to include Steve Wariner, Randy Rogers, Eli Young Band, Wade Bowen, Rodney Crowell, Robert Earl Keen, Roger Creager, Bag of Donuts, Shenandoah, Collin Raye, Luke Bryan and Eric Church, to name a few.

Live music is offered from Wednesday through Saturday. With acoustic music Wednesday and Thursday and live bands on Friday and Saturday.

Tickets for the concerts sell fast.

“We usually sell out of tickets. The tickets go on sale at 10:30 a.m. and by noon the show is sold out.” Concert goers are offered different levels of

But there is still plenty of room for people to sit in the balcony area, cantina or grill area.

MENU ITEMS

Matthew, who is the head chef, and his team of five cooks work hard to keep the menu fresh with the old favorites mixed in with new dishes that they hope will become old favorites.

“I encourage them to try new things. We play with new dishes until we get it right,” he said. After that it is tested on customers, offered as an appetizer to regulars, then offered as a special. And if all goes well, the dish is added to the menu.

An in-house creation, Cozumel Shrimp, is popular. The shrimp are wrapped in bacon and grilled before being glazed in a seasoning mix. Cheese is sprinkled on top and melted before being served.

The well-seasoned glaze has a little

CHICKEN PRIMAVERA

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. chicken breast sliced

2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil

Salt Pepper

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

1 large carrot sliced

½ small yellow onion sliced

1 small zucchini julienned

4 oz. sliced mushrooms

3 oz. trimmed broccolini

½ red bell pepper julienned

2 oz. white wine

6 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

Rice Pilaf

DIRECTIONS:

Add butter or olive oil to sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Place sliced chicken breast and cook until no pink remains.

Add sliced and julienned vegetables to sauce pan and season with salt, pepper, garlic and Italian seasoning.

Once chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender, deglaze pan with white wine.

Top with Monterey Jack cheese and cover until cheese is melted.

Place rice pilaf on plate and pour primavera over top.

Charkalis prepares a chicken primavera dish at Greek Bros. Oyster Bar & Grill in El Campo.

kick, it but is not overpowering.

Thursday nights used to be sushi night after one of the cooks, who had experience with Asian foods, perfected his recipe there. It was a popular night, attracting mostly women and younger adults.

Wednesday nights are steak night, which is more popular with the men.

One of the oldest menu favorites is the shrimp primavera. It is also offered as chicken primavera.

The meat is cooked with fresh vegetables including bell peppers, onions, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms before cheese is sprinkled on top and then melted. It is served over a bed of rice.

Another popular dish is grilled salmon, served over garlic mashed potatoes and topped with sauteed spinach and asparagus. It is served with a side of horseradish-based sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

6 peeled and deveined shrimp

6 strips of bacon (thinly sliced is easiest for wrapping)

Salt Pepper

4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

COZUMEL SAUCE:

8 oz. Classic Catalina Style

Dressing

6 oz. fresh pineapple juice

Granulated garlic

Italian seasoning

COZUMEL SHRIMP GRILLED SALMON

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. salmon filet

4 oz. baby spinach

3 large asparagus spears

4 cherry tomatoes

6 oz. garlic mashed potatoes

2 oz. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

Salt Pepper

DIPPING SAUCE:

2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wrap each shrimp with one slice of bacon. Skewer bacon-wrapped shrimp with wooden or metal skewer.

Season bacon wrapped shrimp with salt and pepper. Grill. Combine Cozumel sauce ingredients and generously coat cooked shrimp with marinade.

Place shrimp on cast-iron skillet or baking sheet.

Generously top shrimp with Monte rey Jack cheese and place in oven or covered grill until melted.

DIRECTIONS:

Season salmon filet and asparagus with salt and pepper. Grill or place in oven until desired temperature.

In separate sauce pan, sauté baby spinach and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic until wilted.

Place cooked salmon filet on top of garlic mashed potatoes.

Top salmon with sauteed spinach and cherry tomatoes.

Form a teepee over potatoes, salmon and spinach with asparagus (hold together at top with small onion ring.)

Interior of Greek Bros. Oyster Bar & Grill in El Campo.

WE WANT YOUR STORY IDEAS

AND

YOU MAY GET A PRIZE FOR YOUR IDEA

Everyone has a story to tell or knows someone who does. While this is an old saying, it is true in our business.

The Discover 361 magazine is in search — as always — of good, interesting stories to tell our readers.

We are interested in your stories. Maybe it is an interesting place to visit for a day trip. Or maybe a story about a person who has an unusual hobby or has a fascinating career journey to tell. The ideas and possibilities are endless.

We are asking you, our readers, to offer your story ideas to us for possible use in future issues of the

Discover 361 magazine. Send your ideas to me, managing editor Becky Cooper, at bcooper@vicad.com. Be sure to include your name and contact information. If the idea is about someone else, please also include their name and contact information.

To sweeten the pot, the Discover 361 magazine will award a $50 Visa gift card to the first person to offer a story idea that we use for the magazine. With the winner’s approval, we will give them credit for the story idea in the magazine.

BECKY COOPER Managing Editor | bcooper@vicad.com

SEAFOOD CANDY bring customers in off the highway

and

STORY BY LEO BERTUCCI | LBERTUCCI@VICAD.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUY VU | DVU@VICAD.COM

Crawfish and candy come together for a unique experience in El Campo.

Located near U.S. 59, Pinchers Restaurant aims to be a go-to destination for lovers of seafood and sweet treats. The property where a gas station and convenience store once sat is now home to a restaurant, fish pond and candy shop.

“The restaurant business is the entertainment business,” said Dennis Radley, who runs Pinchers with his wife, Debbie, and son, Coy. “If you want a cheap meal, you can go to a fast food place. We hope that when you come here, you have a good time.”

Crawfish, shrimp and catfish are Pinchers main specialities, the owners said. They also serve oysters, mahimahi, tuna, alligator and frog legs.

Seafood at Pinchers is boiled, fried, grilled and blackened. The

largest offering is the Boil’n Boat, a vessel containing 10 pounds of boiled crawfish, 2 pounds of boiled shrimp, 3 pounds of snow crab, and plenty of corn, potatoes and sausage.

After a meal, Pinchers customers can satisfy their sweet tooth at The Candy Shop, which is housed in the original convenience store.

“It’s a wide arrangement of assortments,” Coy Radley said. “There’s chocolate-covered milk balls and gummy bears. Some of the things that are popular on TikTok right now, we’ll have some of that in there too.”

Dennis claimed the sweets shop “sells all the gummies that are legal in Texas.”

“We serve one or two desserts in the restaurant because we want them to go to The Candy Shop for dessert,” Dennis said. “There’s so many more

Owners Dennis Radley, right, with his wife Debbie Radley and their son Coy Radley.

A mix of seafood served inside a boat at Pinchers Restaurant in El Campo.

choices over there than we could ever put on the menu.”

The story of Pinchers began when Dennis got into the crawfish industry as “a broke farmer looking for a way to make a living.”

“I actually bought an existing crawfish farm and one thing led to another,” Dennis said. “We opened a restaurant to market our crawfish in 1999.”

Shrimp and catfish were added to the menu to get more people through the door, Dennis said.

The original Pinchers was in downtown El Campo. The Radleys moved to the current location after six years in business.

“We had no intention to be in a full-scale restaurant,” Dennis said.

Running a restaurant was not easy for the Radleys at first.

“I thought if you come out here and build it, they will come, but it doesn’t work like that on the freeway. People gotta get comfortable with you,” Dennis said.

The Radleys said they like to change the scenery every once in a while to persuade customers to keep coming back.

“Coy just remodeled the inside (of the restaurant) last September,” Dennis said. “We do this to keep it

The outside of Pinchers Restaurant.

The different candies on display at The Candy Shop.

Interior of Pinchers Restaurant.

Sandra Perez eats crawfish with her husband David Perez at Pinchers Restaurant.

fresh. We don’t like to stay stagnant. We want people to come in here to eat with us and have something different to look at from time to time.”

Among the things to look at inside the restaurant are an array of vintage signs advertising motor oil–a nod to the roadside property’s history. Customers choosing to eat outdoors can check out the ducks, turtles and fish which live in a pond next to the front entrance.

Debbie said Coy also gave The Candy Shop a “complete makeover” five years ago.

“It’s pretty much the way it is today because of him,” Debbie said. The owners of Pinchers and The Candy Shop hope customers will enjoy the experience their roadside stop offers.

“You know, we’re not just trying to attract people off the highway just to get candy,” Dennis said. “It’s the whole deal.”

210 E Anaqua Ave Victoria

LARGE VARIETY OF DAY TRIP El Campo offers a possibilities

Utensils sit beneath a window in the Danish Heritage Museum’s Pioneer House.

El Campo has it all. From quaint shopping and dining options to a water park and lots of local history, this South Texas gem of a community has lots of attractions, making it an ideal daytripping destination.

Start your journey with a hearty breakfast at Jackson Street Coffee and Market before taking in a bit of window shopping. Hop in a historical time machine and get a feel for the local Danish history. Take in lunch at a local burger joint before lazing the day away at Lost Lagoon water park.

Whatever your fancy, this hidden gem of a community has something to offer for everyone.

SEIZE THE DAY

Start your El Campo experience off right with a visit to Jackson Street Coffee and Market. Whether you’re after a simple jolt of caffeine or a full, hearty breakfast, Jackson Street

covers it all, from fresh pastries and kolaches to omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Just don’t be too surprised if you find yourself making a return visit later in the day.

“We actually have a lot of customers who we see for their coffee in the morning, and they’re back at lunch,” said owner Molli Bondungen. Popular lunch items include their salads, sandwiches and soups.

Jackson Street’s new venue in the southwestern corner of El Campo opened in October, Bondungen said, but the enterprise began as a downtown coffee bar in 2016. Three years later, she opened Molli B’s Coffee Cafe inside the El Campo paint and supply store Paint Perfection. Eventually, the coffee side of things moved to its current location at Jackson Street Coffee

Jars line a shelf in the Pioneer House.

and Market, 711 W. Jackson St.

While weekend visitors may have to contend with a bigger-than-usual crowd of locals relaxing and enjoying the popular breakfast burger, Jackson Street also hosts a farmer’s market on the second Saturday of each month. Those who particularly enjoy the cozy, but spacious, interior can also rent it as a venue.

WINDOW SHOP

However you decide to break your fast, take the rest of the morning to appreciate some of the finer things in life. For home goods from charcuterie boards and dining tables to mantles and sliding doors, it doesn’t get much finer than the range of offerings from Tin Roof Kitchen & Home on First Street.

The full-service woodshop’s new display room is the stuff of any woodworker’s dreams, and even the wood-paneled walls showcase some of the services Tin Roof offers. The only things not on display are the custom projects that are simply too big to fit inside the showroom, like their massive, out-of-state staircases and conference tables.

While their work has taken them all over, founder Kurt Pratka said they’re trying to focus on the local side of things. That priority is reflected in the wood they choose to work with.

“Probably about 85-90% of what we do is just what comes from Wharton County,” Pratka said.

A wagon inside the Danish Heritage Museum provides a sense of the work that early Danish settlers completed on a daily basis.

Jackson Street owner Molli Bodungen said it’s not uncommon to see customers in the morning for coffee and again at lunchtime.

The Danish Heritage Museum in Danevang, south of El Campo, boasts a full collection of Bing & Grøndahl Christmas plates, from 1895 to present.

Jackson Street Coffee and Market opens early and is a good option for coffee, breakfast or lunch.

The Danish Heritage Museum sits 12 miles south of El Campo in the town of Danevang.

GET LAZY

The Lost Lagoon water park, 665 County Road 451, offers the perfect lazy day experience for out-of-town visitors.

With a luxury campground and the world’s largest RV resort swimming pool, it’s all too easy to relax.

Take a dip in the pool and maybe grab a drink at the swim-up bar and relax at the shady cabanas.

There’s also a kiddie lagoon, lazy river, rope swing and slide for the children.

This water park is a great destination for those with RVs. Visitors are welcome to park at one of more than 200 concrete RV sites. Don’t have an RV? No problem. Lost Lagoon also boasts luxury homes and cottages.

SAMPLE LOCAL HISTORY

To boast the title of El Campo’s oldest surviving restaurant, Emil’s Old Fashion Burgers has obviously done something right. Opened in 1938, the downtown mainstay came under new ownership six years ago when Richard

|

CONT. ON PG. 62

Date tags provide historical information to a large crosscut on display at Tin Roof Kitchen & Home. Founder Kurt Pratka said he wants to include historical information about the wood used in some of his pieces going forward.

The back of Tin Roof Kitchen & Home’s showroom displays the range of charcuterie and cutting board styles available.

Bullets fill the crack of an epoxy river table on display in the Tin Roof showroom.

and Carmen Faas took the helm.

Open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Wednesday, from 11 a.m.8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sundays, Emil’s expansive burger menu offers something for everyone. If you’re in the mood for something else, Emil’s serves chicken-fried steaks so big, the side dishes need a plate of their own.

TAKE A TIME MACHINE

If you’re visiting El Campo, you probably drove there. For a more full picture of the region’s history, point your car south and head down State Highway 71. Twelve miles down the road is the Danish Heritage Museum in Danevang, which celebrates the history of the Danish settlers who came to the area at the end of the 19th century.

Open from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the museum offers an impressive collection of artifacts from the era, histories of the settlers — including accounts of their journeys from Denmark to the United States — and an intact pioneer house to round out the immersive experience.

But that’s not all. Groups of 20 or more can reserve a lunch tour in advance for an extra dose of local flavor, which includes Danish meatballs, potatoes, red cabbage and dessert. Smaller groups need not despair, because coffee and cookie tours are also available.

Grain silos tower over the street near town in El Campo.

A healthy portion of chicken-fried steak gets ready to move off the line at Emil’s Old Fashion Burger.

Emil’s Burger, which features bacon, cheese, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, jalapeños, and pickles, makes for a fine lunch.

Open since 1938, Richard and Carmen Faas took over ownership of Emil’s six years ago and added a range of burgers and chicken-fried steak options to the menu.

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT

EL CAMPO BOWLING CENTER

806 W. Loop St., 979-5439999. Offers 16 lanes for bowling, pro shop, Strike Zone food bar, room rentals for parties.

THE PARK AT LEGACY FIELDS

303 W. Loop St., covers 3.5 acres and is El Campo's first and only handicap accessible playground. Each section of the park was designed to have an agricultural theme in honor of the importance of agriculture to the El Campo area. Designed primarily for children ages toddler through 12, each section is designed for different age groups based on the size and complexity of the equipment.

PRASEK’S FAMILY SMOKEHOUSE

29714 U.S. 59, 979-543-8312. Family-owned smokehouse and retail store, offers homemade pastries, smoked meats, a variety of jerky and much more.

EL CAMPO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

2350 N. Mechanic St., 979543-6885. Owned by the city of El Campo,the museum features taxidermied animals caught on big hunts as well as educational programs.

JARROD BIRMINGHAM

still has songs to write and venues to play

STORY BY JON WILCOX | JWILCOX@VICAD.COM

After years on the road, Jarrod Birmingham likes where he's at in life.

These days, he calls a rural ranch property in Inez home.

Looking back over the three decades since he played his "first real show" at Schroeder Hall, Birmingham said in late February that he's changed a lot since those early years.

"I don't believe in wrong roads," Birmingham said. "I just believe in roads."

Since that first performance at the former Goliad County dance hall, Birmingham has slowed down a bit, going from an exhausting 250 performance dates a year to about 100 — at the most. Now 12 years sober, the once hard-partying, "truegrit" former rodeo competitor turned country musician is settled in Victoria County, pursuing a life that's a bit quieter but no less inspired.

"People say when do you go on tour? I say I've been on tour for 25

years," he said, adding, "It sounds good, but it doesn't live quite as good as it sounds."

Despite those life changes, Birmingham, 53, said one thing has remained the same. He still loves making music.

"I still have something to say," he said. "It just comes from a different view."

BEGINNINGS

Born in Seabrook, a coastal community on the edge of Houston, Birmingham attended high school in Port Lavaca.

Birmingham grew up around music. His grandfather played fiddle, guitar and "just about anything," he said.

Ironically, Birmingham, who is no stranger to the stage and has packed many a dance hall, describes himself as "socially awkward." But he also thinks most musicians need to be to find the inspiration necessary for their craft.

Birmingham started writing music because "he wanted to play music he liked," according to a 2018 Victoria Advocate interview. And after suffering a string of injuries while rodeoing, he took some time off from the sport and changed his focus to more artistic endeavors.

"It's one of those things where I never intended it to happen, but it did, and I'm thankful," he said back in 2018.

ROOTS

After that first big show at Schroeder Hall, which he recalls was around 2004, things took off fast for Birmingham.

John White, a founding member of the Staudt Brothers, a Victoria band, said he remembers attending one of Birmingham's shows at Schroeder Hall around the mid-2000s.

"The place was packed wall to wall," White said. "Everybody was dancing and having a great time."

PHO TOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTED BY JARROD BIRMINGHAM

Much of Birmingham's allure with audiences, White said, is that he writes songs "that seem to be true."

"The thing about Jarrod’s music is he writes country songs about life. (A lot of country artists) write about the lifestyle of a cowboy, but Jarrod has actually lived that life. What he’s writing about — he's lived that," White said.

Plus, White added, Birmingham has a great voice on top of his considerable songwriting chops.

By 2005, Birmingham had released his first album "Stages" with "No Apologies" following in 2006. The first track of that 2006 album, "If You Don't Like Me," is ranked No. 1 on his Spotify page with a little more than 176,000 listens, is a catchy number full of brash swagger, thumping bass drum and snarling country-style guitar playing.

"If you don't like me, then I probably won't like you," he professes on the track.

Back when the song was released, when Birmingham was performing most days of the year, he admits his crowd was bigger.

He received accolades like when The South Texas Music Walk of Fame

made him a member in 2016.

In 2004, he traveled to France, where he performed a festival concert before 200,000 people.

"They make you feel like Elvis," he said. "It's really cool."

Birmingham also had the chance to not only meet but also befriend many of his personal country music heroes, including outlaw country singer legend Billy Joe Shaver.

Despite his music career success and all the opportunities it brought, Birmingham said there were downsides.

He frequented Nashville and was courted by big record labels, which he said often pressured him to write songs that he didn't want to write although he admits many, like "If You Don't Like Me," became hits.

He also became dependent on drugs and alcohol. In the mid-2000s, he estimated he was consuming each day about an "eight-ball of coke and a gallon of whiskey to continue the party."

Birmingham decided to get clean a little after the birth of his first child.

"When I realized I was no longer her hero, I realized I had to change," he said.

Although he slowed down, life got better, he said.

"Back then, I had a different crowd — and a huge crowd. Everybody liked to see a train wreck, wind me up and watch me self -destruct," he said. "I've lost most of that anger ... Everyone called me an outlaw, and I tried to live up to that."

THESE DAYS

These days, much has changed in Birmingham's life, mostly for the better, but there's still a lot that remains the same.

Birmingham has ditched the drugs and alcohol. Copenhagen tobacco dip is now one of his few remaining vices.

He also finds time to talk with up and coming artists, lending them advice, so they can avoid the same mistakes he's made.

Despite all the changes in his life, one thing still remains the same. He is a musician at heart, and he's still doing what he loves.

"I might not have craved that 20 years ago, but now I love to sit in a room and tell the story behind the songs," he said. "It reminds you of

I DON'T BELIEVE in WRONG ROADS I just BELIEVE in ROADS - Jarrod Birmingham

why you did it for so many years."

With the 2020 release of his most recent album, "The Short Go" a few years past, Birmingham is now working on another album.

His crowds may be smaller. His lifestyle may be a bit slower, but Birmingham said he feels great about where he's at now.

"I still have songs to write. I still have venues to play," he said.

UPCOMING DATES

APRIL 14 − 8 P.M.

Texas Association of First Responders BBQ Cook-Off

First Class BBQ, 745 U.S. 290

Business, Hempstead

MAY 6 − 7 P.M.

Nixon Feather Fest Cinco De Mayo Celebration 2023, Nixon

MAY 20 − 8 P.M.

The Post OG

2024 Farm-to-Market Road 624, Orange Grove

JUNE 3 - 8 P.M.

Cooper's LIVE!,

20809 U.S. 277, Christoval

JUNE 10 - 8 P.M.

The Den

484 Bluebonnet Road, La Vernia

Bahia Goliad, TX

OUT and ABOUT

WITH TONY VASQUEZ

SEE WHO WAS OUT AND ABOUT AT :

• 2023 Crossroads Heart & Stroke Walk

• Member Preview for the 'Five Decades' Nancy Bandy and Danny Vivian Exhibit

• 8th Annual 'Who's Who of Victoria' Mid-Coast Family Services

Fundraiser

• Enchantment Under the Sea Dance

2023 Crossroads Heart & Stroke Walk

VICTORIA COLLEGE | FEB. 4

Photo by Danny Vivian

Jesús Garza, Victoria Morale and Keisha Smith

Gen Robles and Shar Lockstedt

John Griffin and Lynn Knaupp

Gary Hall and Eileen Stewart

Danny Vivian and Allison Lacey

Sarah Lasater and Tina Wayne

Brenda Tally and Betty Jo Elder

Jill Blucher and Zach Wendel

Lori Bryan

Ginny Stafford and Carla Nolen

Enchantment Under the Sea Dance

TRINITY EPISCOPAL SCHOOL FEB. 25

Prom Queen & King, Lesli and James Gietz

Allison and Jordan Fries

Madeline and Nathan Williams with Lindsay and Daniel Binz

Jessie and James Law

Autumn Heilker and Desi Lebar

VICTORIA

WILD ABOUT WINE

April 14 − 7 p.m.

The Texas Zoo, 110 Memorial Drive 361-573-7681

KEVIN FOWLER

April 14 − 9 p.m -2 a.m.

Shooters Bar, 4705 N. Navarro St. 361-576-0177

TUTUS & TENNIS SHOES FUN RUN, WALK

April 15 − 8 a.m.-noon

Victoria Ballet Theatre, Riverside Park 361-485-3200

4TH ANNUAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BACKYARD BOIL

April 15 − 5 p.m.

Club Westerner, 1005 W. Constitution St. 361-575-9109, RSVPs are required

CLYBOURNE PARK

April 20 - 23

Victoria College Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts, 214 N. Main St. 361-485-8540

TREASURES OF THE PAST HISTORIC HOME TOUR

April 22 -23

Victoria Preservation Inc. 205 W. Goodwin St., 361-573-1878

FATHERS NIGHT OUT-CAR SHOW

April 22 − 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Parkway Church, 4802 John Stockbauer Drive, 361-572-8340

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF VICTORIA PRESENTS TOUCH-A-TRUCK

April 22 − 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., 361-578-6281

WGTEN WHODUNNIT MURDER MYSTERY

DINNER & SHOW

April 22 − 5:30-10 p.m.

Women Growing Together

Express Network

Victoria Community Center 2905 E. North St., 361-485-3215

DOWNTOWN RHYTHMS

April 27 - 5:30 p.m.

DeLeon Plaza, Downtown Victoria 361-485-3200

MURDER AT THE DERBY BY THEATRE

VICTORIA

April 27 − 6-9 p.m.

Victoria Educational Gardens 259 Bachelor Drive, 361-652-3979

CHARITY CONCERT SERIES-JOHN CONLEE

April 28 − 7:30 p.m.

Victoria College Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts, 214 N. Main St. 361-485-8540

VICTORIA AREA NURSE PRACTITIONERS PRESENTS: A NIGHT IN VEGAS

April 29 − 6 p.m.

Victoria Officers Club, 333 Bachelor Drive, 361-578-2704

GERSHWIN HITS

April 29 − 7:30 p.m.

Victoria Symphony, Victoria ISD Fine Arts Center, 1002 Sam Houston Drive 361-788-9335

CINCO DE MAYO IN VICTORIA

May 5 - 6 − 2 p.m.

DeLeon Plaza Victoria, Downtown Victoria, 361-485-3200

CINCO DE MAYO GUAC FEST 2023

May 5 − 5-9 p.m.

Santa Rita Market, 107 W. Santa Rosa St. 361-902-0711

CHARITY CONCERT SERIES

T GRAHAM BROWN

May 11 − 7:30 p.m.

Victoria College Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts, 214 N. Main St. 361-485-8540

MAMA TRIED MARKET

May 13 − 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Mother Cluckers Downtown, 108 E. Santa Rosa St.,361-935-3335

MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH

May 13 − 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Golden Crescent CASA

Victoria Country Club Victoria, 14 Spring Creek Road, 361-573-3712

PARKING LOT PARTY

May 19 − 6-10 p.m.

Mother Cluckers Downtown 108 E. Santa Rosa St., 361-935-3335

MEMORIAL WEEKEND BASH

MUSIC FESTIVAL

May 26 - 28 − Noon

Riverside Park, 361-485-3200

RUBY & ROSE SHOWCASE OF FASHION

June 8 − 5:30-10 p.m.

Victoria Community Center

2905 E. North St., 361-485-3215

48TH ANNUAL VICTORIA BACH FESTIVAL

June 3-10

Various locations in Victoria Victoriabachfestival.org

CUERO

CUERO MAIN STREET’S DOWNTOWN FARMER’S MARKET ON MAIN

April 22 − 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

WILDFLOWER TROLLY TOURS

April 22 − 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cuero Chamber of Commerce

361-275-2112

DEWITT MEDICAL FOUNDATION

ANNUAL GALA

April 22 − 5-11 p.m.

CUERO REGIONAL HOSPITAL WEEK

May 12 − 6-10 p.m.

Downtown Cuero, Free street dance with live music by the Emotions

EDNA

DENIM & DIAMONDS DUELING PIANOS

April 15 − 6-11 p.m.

Edna Education Foundation

GOLIAD

THE BATTLE OF THE PRAIRIE: A WALKING TOUR OF THE COLETO CREEK BATTLEFIELD

April 22

Presidio La Bahia, 217 U.S. 183 361 645-3752, fb.me/e/2xhsLTHH7

SPRING STYLE SHOW

April 29

Main Street Goliad Event

SPRING FLOTILLA

May 6

ZARAGOZA CINCO DE MAYO

May 5- 6

HALLETTSVILLE

VETERANS’ APPRECIATION DAY

April 29 − 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

HALLETTSVILLE MARKET DAYS

May 20 − 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

FIDDLERS FROLICS

April 21-23

Hallettsville KC hall

PORT LAVACA

CALHOUN COUNTY AREA GO TEXAN

BBQ COOK-OFF

April 21- 22 − Noon – 11 p.m.

Calhoun County Fairgrounds

186 Henry Barber Way

ADOPT A BEACH COASTWIDE CLEANUP

April 22

texasadoptabeach.org

PORT O’CONNOR

WARRIOR’S WEEKEND XVII

May 19-21

warriorsweekend.org

ROCKPORT

ROCKPORT ANNUAL KITE FESTIVAL

April 29

Rockport Festival Grounds, 1500 E. Laurel St., 361-729-2158

AUSTIN STREET ART WALK

May 13 - 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

361-450-0545

ROCKPORT WINE FESTIVAL

May 27 − 3-11 p.m.

Maritime Museum, 1202 Navigation Circle, 361-729-1271

texasmaritimemuseum.org

ROCKPORT ART FESTIVAL

June 30 - July 2

361-729-5519, rockportartcenter.com

SEADRIFT

42ND ANNUAL SHRIMPFEST – SEADRIFT

June 9-10

seadriftchamber.com/shrimpfest/

YOAKUM

DUELING PIANOS

April 15 - 7-10 p.m.

Yoakum Area Chamber of Commerce

Yoakum Community Center, 105 Huck St.

YOAKUM FARM AND MARKET DAYS

First Saturday of the month

Centennial Park 361.573.3734