Issuu

2018 EDITION / VOL. 12

GUIDE TO THE CROSSROADS AND COASTAL BEND

VICTORIA ARANSAS BEE CALHOUN DEWITT GOLIAD JACKSON LAVACA NUECES REFUGIO SAN PATRICIO WHARTON

Birth Center

Citizens Birth Center offers a much more individually-tailored approach to birth with the benefits of a hospital birth in a home-like setting. At Citizens Birth Center, moms, babies and families enjoy a comforting environment with a compassionate team dedicated to providing the best birthing experience possible. Our labor, delivery and nursery staff have over 215 combined years of care. The Citizens Birth Center was professionally designed for comfort and convenience with spacious birthing suites that have recently been renovated.

We invite you to tour our facility, sign up for classes and register for your baby’s birth by calling 361-582-5761

www.citizensmedicalcenter.org Register online at citizensbaby.org 2701 Hospital Drive, Victoria, TX 77901

Daringly Different. Infinitely Beautiful. Bosch black stainless steel is made from a special material, not simply a black foil coating. So your kitchen appliances help guard against scratches and fingerprints to maintain their bold look.

A Heritage of Innovation

Discover the pinnacle of luxury design, power and personalization with our worldclass cooking, refrigeration and dishwasher collections. 701 E. Mockingbird Lane • Victoria, TX • 361-578-0717 Mon. - Fri. 9-5 Sat. by appointment • www.premiumapplianceandmore.com

All You Need From Seed to Feed YOUR HUNTING HEADQUARTERS FALL CHECKLIST 9 Recleaned Deer Corn

9 Food Plot Seed

9 Apple Corn

9 Winter peas

9 Fencing 9 Deer Molasses Tubs 9 Deer Feeders & Blinds

More than a feed store.

9 Fertilizer 9 Clover 9 Wasp spray

DIERLAM FEED STORE YOUR LAWN/GARDEN HEADQUARTERS

914 NE Water St. • Victoria, TX

A level of value and service that can’t be matched at the box stores!

361-575-3224 • dierlamfeed.com VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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DISCOVER VICTORIA COUNTY

VELA FARMS MAKES EVERYTHING FROM JAMS TO PASTA

FIND THE HISTORY HIDDEN IN MODERN-DAY VICTORIA

RIVERSIDE PARK OFFERS A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

MUSEUM BRINGS CITY TO LIFE WITH ART CARS, FINE ART

BELLA BAKERY SERVES BAKED GOODS WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

21 NOOT’S OFFERS FRESH THAI FOOD, PLACE FOR RELAXATION

BEE COUNTY

BEEVILLE LIBRARY A QUIET, BUT FUN GETAWAY FOR CHILDREN

LAVACA COUNTY

HALLETTSVILLE DOWNTOWN SQUARE A MAIN ATTRACTION

100 GASLIGHT THEATRE BRINGS CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT TO RURAL TOWN

CALHOUN COUNTY

THE BOX COFFEE BAR OFFERS COMMUNITY A JOLT OF ESPRESSO

SAND BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO KING FISHER BEACH

VENTURA’S TAMALES FILLS CUSTOMERS WITH CONTENTMENT

THE POINT OFFERS VIETNAMESE FOOD TO LOCALS

101 THE HERB COTTAGE OFFERS COUNTRY SANCTUARY

VICTORIA OFFERS UNIQUE OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

KRITTER KORRAL SHOWCASES EXOTIC ANIMALS TO PUBLIC

102 LIST: PUBLIC LIBRARIES

63 LIST: DANCE HALLS 64

TEXAS TRADITIONS RESTAURANT CONTINUES TO SERVE LOCAL FAVORITES

64 LIST: PRIVATE SCHOOLS

DEWITT COUNTY

DOWNTOWN CUERO OFFERS VARIETY OF CHOICES FOR SHOPPERS

LUTHERAN CHURCH BRINGS HISTORIC BEAUTY TO YORKTOWN

THE VENUE IS A TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS STYLE GRACE

LIST: COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

YMCA SWIMMING POOL IS A SUMMER OASIS FOR MANY RESIDENTS

AMERICAN KARATE INSTITUTE KEEPS TRADITION GOING

LIST: FESTIVALS

LIST: GOLF COURSES

LASER WORLD ARENA A PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN

GOLIAD COUNTY

OUTLAW PASS A FAST-PACED PARK WITH EXCITEMENT

GOLIAD SQUARE A CHARMING SOUTH TEXAS TREASURE

106 TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM GIVES VISITORS UP-CLOSE LOOK AT SEA LIFE 107 WINTON’S ISLAND CANDY STILL SWEET AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY

108 LIST: PARKS

REFUGIO COUNTY

112 REFUGIO BUSINESSES BOUNCE BACK FROM STORM 114 TUTTLE’S GROCERY & MEAT MARKET OFFERS TRADITION, GOOD FOOD

40 HOPS OF FUN FOUND AT TRAMPOLINE PARK 42

NUECES COUNTY

105 CORPUS CHRISTI ATTRACTION FEATURES FLORA AND FAUNA FUN

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY

GARDEN IS LABOR OF LOVE, HIDDEN PUBLIC TREASURE

117 TEXAN WARBIRD ADVENTURES COMBINES HISTORY AND FLIGHT

44 LIST: CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE 46 LIST: PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARANSAS COUNTY

DOWNTOWN ROCKPORT OPEN FOR BUSINESS AFTER HARVEY

RANCH RIVER PARK OFFERS QUIET, NATURAL GETAWAY

GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK BOUNCES BACK AFTER HARVEY

GOLIAD STATE PARK HIGHLIGHTS HISTORY, NATURAL BEAUTY

88 LIST: YOUTH SPORTS

JACKSON COUNTY

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DISCOVER 2018

EDNA DOESN’T HAVE STARBUCKS, BUT IT HAS OPTIONS

118 RAILROAD SEAFOOD STATION IS ‘SHRIMPLY’ DELICIOUS

WHARTON COUNTY

LAKE TEXANA PROVIDES NATURAL ESCAPE FOR ALL AGES

122 BUSINESS OWNER INTERTWINES COFFEE, PAINT IN DOWNTOWN EL CAMPO

WITH NEW OWNERS, TEXANA RACEWAY TAKING SHAPE

124 DIRECTORY

COMMUNITY

2018 EDITION / VOL. 12

GUIDE TO THE CROSSROADS AND COASTAL BEND

ONE of our TWO LOCATIONS Today

Ornamental Kale, Cabbage and vibrant Mums Sympathy Flowers and Plants Corporate Gift Baskets Wedding Flowers Thymes, Lotion and Bath collections Homemade Cookies Buttermilk Brownies Creative Floral Designs Chicken Salad

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Chris Cobler 361-574-1271 ccobler@vicad.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Becky Cooper 361-574-1285 bcooper@vicad.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

NICHE LEAD

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Darla Walker 361-580-6509 dwalker@vicad.com Ashley R. Scott 361-580-6317 ascott@vicad.com Kimberley Bailey Sara Bryan Katie Case Kelly Gentsch Melodi King

DISCOVER 361 IS PUBLISHED ANNUALLY BY THE

ARRANGEMENTS FOR ALL CELEBRATORY OCCASIONS

VICTORIA

1313 N. Navarro Victoria, TX 77904 (361) 573-3246 Mon-Fri: 8:00am - 5:30pm Saturday: 9:00am - 2:00pm

GROWING CENTER

Located on HWY 59 between Victoria & Goliad (361) 574-7245 Mon - Sat: 9:00am - 4:00pm devereuxgardens.org



DISCOVER 2018

ON THE COVER Visitors watch as a school of fish swim by at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome back to Discover 361, a magazine that showcases life in the 361 area code. This year we decided to take a look at things people can do on day trips — from shopping to dining to visiting cool attractions or relaxing at a park or the beach.

Call Today For Service (361) 576-6567 9701A N. Navarro Victoria, TX 77905

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Or the temperature of your home. Your Hometown Air Conditioning & Heating Experts

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE AC & Heater Maintenance

The area is rich with park possibilities. From the morethan-500–acre Riverside Park that offers a little something for just about everyone to the small Branch River Park in Goliad that offers a scenic view of the San Antonio River and the courthouse to Texana Park in Edna where wildlife is a popular sight. The area offers a wide assortment of places to go and things to do from the Botanical Gardens and Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi to the Educational Gardens in Victoria to the herb garden in Hallettsville to the themed amusement centers in Victoria — Outlaw Pass, Laser World and Hangtime Trampoline Park. We also have an abundance of locally owned businesses in the region from Bella’s Bakery in Victoria, to The Point Restaurant in Palacios, where late television personality Anthony Bourdain once dined, to Railroad Seafood in Odem and Relish in Edna.

AC & Heater Installation / Replacement

Most of the 361 area was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey, but a year later, most businesses are coming back. Winton’s Candy in Port Aransas was rebuilt three months after the storm, while businesses in Refugio and Rockport are still rebuilding and recovering.

Indoor Air Quality

The magazine is chock-full of so many places to see and things to do that is it easy to say you could take a different day trip every weekend for a year and still not see it all.

AC & Heater Repairs

We hope you enjoy reading this year’s Discover 361 and go out and discover a few of the things and places we are introducing to you this year.

We also serve clients in Bloomington, Edna, Inez, LA Salle, and nearby communities. Our technicians are licensed in serving heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

Happy Discoveries,

Becky Cooper

Managing Editor | Victoria Advocate bcooper@vicad.com

DISCOVER IS PUBLISHED BY THE



DISCOVER 2018

VICTORIA COUNTY

VELA FARMS MAKES EVERYTHING FROM JAMS TO PASTA  FIND THE HISTORY HIDDEN IN MODERN-DAY VICTORIA RIVERSIDE PARK OFFERS A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE  MUSEUM BRINGS CITY TO LIFE WITH ART CARS, FINE ART  BELLA BAKERY SERVES BAKED GOODS WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH  NOOT’S OFFERS FRESH THAI FOOD, PLACE FOR RELAXATION  THE BOX COFFEE BAR OFFERS COMMUNITY A JOLT OF ESPRESSO  VENTURA’S TAMALES FILLS CUSTOMERS WITH CONTENTMENT  VICTORIA OFFERS UNIQUE OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT YMCA SWIMMING POOL IS A SUMMER OASIS FOR MANY RESIDENTS  VICTORIA KARATE INSITUTE KEEPS TRADITION GOING  LASER WORLD ARENA A PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN  OUTLAW PASS A FAST-PACED PARK WITH EXCITEMENT HOPS OF FUN FOUND AT TRAMPOLINE PARK  GARDEN IS LABOR OF LOVE, HIDDEN PUBLIC TREASURE

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

A Monarch butterfly perches on a passion flower vine at the Victoria Educational Gardens.

VICTORIA

By Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

View from the front of the dining room at Vela Farms On The Square.

VELA FARMS MAKES EVERYTHING FROM JAMS TO PASTA BY CIARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy@vicad.com

In downtown Victoria, there are lots of options for food and drink. You can take a scone from Bella’s Bakery to snack on at DeLeon Plaza or stop by Huvar’s Artisan Market for a lunchtime sandwich. But one of the most versatile options sits right on the square. Vela Farms on the Square offers everything, from its signature jams and jellies to coffee and sweets to freshly prepared meals. And now, the homegrown shop offers one more thing: cooking classes, so that you can bring a little bit of Vela Farms back to your kitchen. Vela Farms was first opened by Sara Vela and her

family as a jams and jellies business. The family-run company made spreads, like Texas sweet tea jam or orange chili marmalade, and sold them to local grocers. In 2016, Vela opened her first retail space, offering all her usual wares plus a space where customers could grab a bite to eat. Last year, Vela moved a few doors down on Main Street to a bigger space, allowing her to expand the restaurant and even launch a catering business. Her favorite dishes on the menu? All of them. “I decided early on I make things I like,” she said. “I love great cookies; I love kolaches; I love muffins; I love pasta; I love jelly. I make things that I like to eat.”

Vela saw her business grow quickly as Victoria residents and people from across the state fell in love with her homemade jams and jellies. In June, Vela expanded her offerings even further after she converted the space above Vela Farms’ downtown location into a place where she could teach her customers how to make their favorite meals. Vela Farms offers classes that teach everything from how to make your own pasta to how to make strawberry shortcake. Kids can sign up for summer cooking classes or join their parents in a Mommy and Me class. Adults can learn how to make Vela’s favorite dishes via Girls’ Night or Date Night classes.

Vela and her family are fifth-generation farmers and ranchers from Victoria. She explained that her business’s expansion — from a jelly wholesaler to a restaurant to a catering and cooking business — has felt natural because it all stemmed from her love of good food. “I love my hometown,” she said. “ I feel like if I put the best product out, and I do it with an honest heart and joyfully, that somehow I am able to impart that into other people.”

 IF YOU GO VELA FARMS ON THE SQUARE 104 N. Main St. 361-649-8352

HOURS // 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM



VICTORIA

By Ciara McCarthy/cmccarthy@vicad.com

The J.D. Mitchell House, 301 S. Bridge St., was first built in 1893. It was restored and today is used as office space.

FIND THE HISTORY HIDDEN IN MODERN-DAY VICTORIA BY CIARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy@vicad.com

As one of the oldest cities and counties in Texas, Victoria has its fair share of historic buildings and homes. Even as Victoria has developed into a 21st century city, preservationists and other local leaders have worked to maintain some of the most important and beautiful homes and buildings. Much of that work has been led by the nonprofit Victoria Preservation Inc., which informs and educates the public about the city’s legacy while protecting the area’s rich history. For those new to Victoria or new to its history, the best 14

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DISCOVER 2018

place to learn about it is by driving or walking through the historic sites that are still around today. The best spot to begin, said Victoria Preservation’s executive director, Jeff Wright, is the courthouse square, the heart of today’s downtown, which still has the same basic setup as when Victoria was first formed as a city. Like most county courthouses in South Texas, the Victoria County Courthouse is a gem of early architecture in the city, Wright said. The courthouse was first built in 1892 and is considered a masterpiece of Romanesque Revival design. The limestone building, which was designed

by Texas architect J. Riely Gordon, was restored and rededicated in 2001. Both the original 1892 courthouse and the neighboring modern courthouse built in 1967 also offer some of the best historical artwork you can find in Victoria, Wright said. Both are public buildings and open to anyone who wants to take a look inside during business hours. The next stop on your tour is just outside: DeLeon Plaza. The public space has multiple historic artifacts if you simply know the right place to look, Wright says. “That city block (of DeLeon Plaza) along with the courthouse block have both served

the same purpose since the town’s founding,” Wright said about the history still embedded in downtown Victoria. The antique lamp posts in the plaza are all inscribed with names, and if you look closely, you can piece together a who’s who of early Victoria, Wright said. Under the modern-day bandstand is the former location of the standpipe, which is where groundwater from the Guadalupe River was pumped (from the location of the modern-day PumpHouse restaurant) to the center of town to provide city residents with water. DeLeon Plaza is also home to the Six Flags Monument,

VICTORIA which documents some of the most pivotal moments in Victorian and Texas history. VPI hosts a yearly tour of the most historic homes in “old Victoria.” In 2019, the tour will be April 27-28, and visitors will get a chance to walk inside multiple houses to take a peek at the interiors of the historic residences. Along with VPI’s and Explore Victoria’s driving tour pamphlet that will guide you through old Victoria, the nonprofit also published a coffee table book last year that has details on 35 of the city’s most historic homes, along with other historic buildings. If historic homes are what you’re after, Wright recom-

mends you start outside City Hall at West Juan Linn Street and Bridge Street, which was the original heart of downtown. There stand three of the most unique homes the city has to offer: the Lorenzo Dow Heaton House, the T.M. O’Connor House and the J.D. Mitchell House. The J.D. Mitchell House, 301 S. Bridge St., today houses office suites but was originally built in January 1893 for a local civic leader, according to Victoria Preservation. Before its current life as an office building, the structure was also used as a mortuary. The neighboring Lorenzo Dow Heaton House, 307 S. Bridge St., dates to 1877.

“We’ve got this really interesting historical layering,” Wright said of Bridge Street. “As you drive north, you go from 1870 to 1880 to 1890s.” Another home Wright recommends is the John Donaldson house, on Vine Street near Goodwin Avenue. The home is built from natural stone and is the only one of its kind in Victoria, Wright said. “As you’re going through the driving tour, you’ll see Jules Leffland’s name throughout,” Wright said. “He’s kind of the preeminent architect in not only Victoria but a lot of South Texas.” Wright considers the old Nazareth Academy, 105 W.

Church St., one of Leffland’s greatest feats. And an important stop for anyone interested in Victoria’s history is the Museum of the Coastal Bend, Wright said. The museum’s exhibits offer a peek into Texas history through both permanent and temporary exhibits. It is on the campus of Victoria College, 2200 E. Red River St.

 IF YOU GO VICTORIA PRESERVATION INC. For more information about Victoria Preservation Inc. or to get a map of the driving tour of historic Victoria, go to the VPI office. 205 W. Goodwin Ave. (361) 573-1878 victoriapreservation.com

Ciara McCarthy/cmccarthy@vicad.com

The Lorenzo Dow Heaton House dates to 1877. The home is a Texas historic landmark. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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VICTORIA

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Jesus Villegas, 2, plays in the children’s park at Riverside Park.

RIVERSIDE PARK OFFERS A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE BY CIARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy@vicad.com

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

O.C. Garza, public relations director for the city of Victoria, talks about the paddling opportunities on the Guadalupe River through Riverside Park. 16

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DISCOVER 2018

By day, O.C. Garza is spokesman for the city of Victoria, helping to inform the public about how the city works and what government officials are doing. But by earlier in the day, Garza is an avid cyclist. He starts most of his days cycling in one of the city’s crown jewels — Riverside Park. As a frequent visitor to the park, Garza serves as one of its best guides and recently took the Advocate on a tour of the park’s best features. Garza starts the tour near the PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar, the historic location of the original pumping station for Victoria’s water. The privately owned restaurant stands on the banks of the Guadalupe River, which provides a steady stream on most days that’s perfect for kayaking.

Aspiring kayakers can enjoy the river by renting a kayak from Gerry’s Kayaks, which provides the gear and the instructions necessary for a leisurely paddle on the river. Kayakers usually enter the river at the public boat ramp and meander down the river’s turns before stopping their ride at the dock near the PumpHouse. If you’re looking to jump into the river sans boat, the park includes multiple access points to the river, the most popular of which is Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach has a clear bank that allows access to the water and is shallow enough for swimmers of all ages to cool off. For the water-averse, Riverside offers plenty of other sporting options. One of the most popular, Garza said, is Riverside’s 18-hole disc golf course. The Frisbee-based course allows for a relaxing, stress-free tour of the park.

VICTORIA Riverside’s disc golf course was designed by John Houck, who Garza refers to as the “Jack Nicklaus” of the disc golf world because of his fame in the industry. If you are more interested in hitting golf balls, the park is home to Riverside Golf Course, an 18-hole public course. The park also includes one of Victoria’s most popular amenities, the Texas Zoo, which showcases some of Victoria’s cutest residents. New additions to the zoo include Archie the fawn and Laguna the ocelot kitten. Like any park, Riverside includes numerous playing fields, including the wellknown Riverside Stadium baseball field. The complex that Victoria is particularly proud of, Garza said, is the Challenged Athletes Dream

Complex. The space includes two fields that are specifically built to be safe and accessible for kids who might have difficulty playing on a standard field. The space is safe and usable for kids in wheelchairs and walkers. The park includes a stunning stretch of flowers in the Rose Garden, where hundreds of roses bloom in a nod back to Victoria’s moniker as the “city of roses.” Visitors can meander among the buds from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. If all of the options for exploring the park seem a bit daunting, there’s plenty of space to just sit and enjoy the view. The park has 200 picnic areas, according to the city of Victoria, that provide Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com space to eat, relax and enjoy Naomi Villegas, 6, plays in the children’s park at the nearby river. Riverside Park.

Dorothy Hanna O'Connor dreamed of a place for final rest for a pet member of the family. Memory Meadows Pet Memorial Park offers that place of permanence right here in Victoria. A beautiful setting, it offers serenity to remember and reminisce with your pet. Create a sense of closure remembering the relationship between you and your very loved pet family member.

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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VICTORIA

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

Car and motorcycle exhibition at the Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art in Victoria.

MUSEUM BRINGS LIFE TO CITY WITH ART CARS, FINE ART BY ISMAEL PEREZ iperez@vicad.com

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

Artifacts shown at the Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art in Victoria. 18

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DISCOVER 2018

When walking into this Victoria museum, art enthusiasts can always expect to see and learn something new about their community. And, evidently, the world around them. Since its inception, it has been the Five Points Museum’s mission to give people an impression of the cultural diversity in Victoria while also celebrating contemporary art. “This is not a single-demographic city; it’s got a rich cultural history of its own,” said Magdalena Kuykendall, operations and marketing manager. “And, hopefully, we can tap into that and create a culture conversation in Victoria.” The vision behind the Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art started years ago when the property was purchased in 2008 by Ann Harithas, executive director and founder.

The museum opened eight years later in 2016. While organizers try to provide Victoria with high quality shows, Kuykendall said each exhibit has been a learning experience for them on how to improve for the next. “We learn what works in this space and what doesn’t,” she said, adding that they are trying to move toward hosting more than one show at the same time, too. The museum’s first exhibit opened April 20, 2016, and featured artist Noah Edmundson. His artwork was hung throughout the building, and his two low rider cars were placed in the main space. “One thing we learned is that it’s best to get cars in the days before the exhibit opens; otherwise the room will be full of fumes,” Kuykendall said, laughing. Although it took a few years to host artists at the museum, Harithas was already getting people interested in contemporary art — on wheels.

VICTORIA Maurice Roberts, chief cu-

work such as drawings, pho-

rator, said they hosted their

tographs,

first “unofficial” art car pa-

even multimedia exhibits.

sculptures

and

rade in 2010 when a David

They have also maintained

Bess art car came to Victoria.

an education component and

Kuykendall’s face lit up when

work frequently with the Vic-

she remembered how a bunch of other art cars started following Bess’ car all over town. “Low riders, art cars … all through Victoria,” she said, laughing, “We just took it upon ourselves.” The

year,

2011,

Kuykendall said it was more

toria School District. Roberts said the museum offers people a different way to look at Victoria, the world around them and the appreciation of art in general. And, as always, it’s free. “That’s always been Mrs.

official and organizers had

Harithas’ mandate: This is a

actual permission from the

gift to the community from

city. The museum’s art car

her,” Kuykendall said. “We

parade brought in about 100

don’t want there to be a bar-

vehicles in 2018.

rier for people to come in and

Roberts

said

the

Five

Points Museum has shown

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

Photo exhibition at the Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art in Victoria.

 IF YOU GO FIVE POINTS MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART 1201 N. Moody St.

HOURS // Noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday Future shows:

appreciate art. Everybody “The Victoria Show: Decoding 361,” runs through Oct. 28 Irvin Tepper, Nov. 17 through the spring is welcome.”

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

VICTORIA BELLA BAKERY SERVES BAKED GOODS WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH BY CIARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy@vicad.com

For Kim Hoelter, the baking she does at Bella Bakery is both professional and personal. Hoelter has spent the past several months getting her new bakery and restaurant off the ground after it opened in downtown Victoria in March. On top of all that, she was preparing for her daughter’s wedding in June, not just as mother of the bride but also as baker of the wedding cake. “It’s been pretty busy,” Hoelter said, laughing. For her daughter’s wedding, Hoelter and some of the staff at Bella Bakery pitched in to make the cake, which

was a champagne cake with raspberry filling, Hoelter said. Hoelter, who describes herself as an “accidental baker,” serves a wide array of baked goods, plus coffee, lunch and other light bites. Hoelter created the menu herself and said everything is baked fresh each morning. She began baking professionally on the side of her day job as a Realtor and previously was the pastry chef at the PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar and The Sendera. Her work as a baker and chef has always been influenced by family and friends, who helped her to open Bella Bakery and have inspired menu choices. The store’s signature meal is the egg

tartine, Hoelter said, which is an open-faced sandwich that Hoelter frequently made for her daughter before she opened Bella Bakery. “It’s been pretty smooth sailing,” Hoelter said about the bakery’s first several months of business. “We’re still trying to figure things out.” Figuring things out includes getting to know, and bake for, the bakery’s regular customers. Hoelter said Bella’s staff frequently takes suggestions from the loyal customers. The bakery has started making English scones specifically for a loyal customer and his wife, who is originally from England.

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Baked goods at Bella Bakery and Bistro in downtown Victoria. 20

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DISCOVER 2018

Because Bella Bakery takes requests and caters to its regular customers’ favorites, the menu is always changing. “I’ll ask their suggestions. We have some regulars who come in all the time and ask them if there’s something in particular that they want,” Hoelter said. “They’ll ask for certain cookies or certain pies, and we’re happy to do that for them.”

 IF YOU GO BELLA BAKERY

215 S. Main St. 361-703-5098 facebook.com/Bella-Bakeryand-Bistro-2023810794564794/ HOURS // 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturdays

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Bella Bakery and Bistro owner Kim Hoelter bakes at her restaurant in downtown Victoria.

VICTORIA

Madelynne Scales/Victoria Advocate

A dish of chicken pad thai at Noot’s Thai Restaurant.

Madelynne Scales/Victoria Advocate

Orchids line the sides of tables at Noot’s Thai Restaurant.

NOOT’S OFFERS FRESH THAI FOOD, PLACE FOR RELAXATION BY SAMANTHA DOUTY Victoria Advocate

When James Munsch and his wife opened a restaurant, the best name they could think of was that of their then 7-month-old daughter — Noot. The couple opened Noot’s Thai Kitchen seven years ago to share their love for Thai food. “I wanted to bring that to Victoria,” Munsch, 38, said. His wife, Keson Chanthanet, was born and raised in Thailand before moving to the States. She makes all the recipes based on her childhood and personal interpretation, Munsch said. But, finding ingredients used in Thai food in South Texas is difficult. Munsch said he has to travel to Houston to get bulk ingredients for the restaurant. Anything they can’t buy, they grow.

The owners grow their own chilis and papaya for several of the dishes. In 2016, the restaurant expanded from its Whispering Creek Center location with a to-go location farther south on Navarro Street. Munsch said he wanted the to-go location to offer a place to eat for people who work in the downtown area. After Hurricane Harvey, staffing became an issue. The to-go location closed. Munsch said after the hurricane, people left and he lost a cook, and he and his wife were stretched thin. “It’s hard to find a person who can cook Thai food,” he said. Chanthanet became the only cook the restaurant had, and they couldn’t keep both locations open at the same time. Their main location is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, but the to-go store remains dark.

Now, the family is going to focus on their main location and ensure it thrives, Munsch said. “Every day is an adventure,” Munsch said about owning a restaurant. Once a week, Veronica Hernandez and Aaron McGuire use the restaurant as a place to decompress after work. The pair work at the Victoria Eye Center. “We love it,” Hernandez said. When they go, they order several different dishes

and eat it family style. This way, they can try a little bit of everything. McGuire said everything is fresh and it is one of his favorite spots to eat. “I’ve eaten at Thai places all over the place, and this takes the top,” he said.

 IF YOU GO NOOT’S THAI KITCHEN

6360 N. Navarro St., Victoria HOURS // 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

Niki’s Roma Pizza Serving Homemade Italian Food for over 23 years!

361-572-8424

7800 N Navarro Street (Victoria Mall)

10am-9pm Monday-Saturday | Noon-6pm Sunday

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VICTORIA

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

The Box Coffee Bar on South Main Street is the original location. The building was once a free-standing ATM.

THE BOX COFFEE BAR OFFERS COMMUNITY A JOLT OF ESPRESSO BY CIARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy@vicad.com

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

A latte at The Box Coffee Bar on North Laurent Street. 22

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Amanda Cantu knows most of her customers at The Box Coffee Bar by name and by order. But when someone new comes in, she’s always ready to greet that person with a smile — no matter how crazy their coffee order might be. The craziest? A sleep deprived paramedic who ordered a latte — with nine shots of espresso in it. “We’re willing to try new things. So if someone comes in here and they want something different, or they have a flavor combination in their mind but nobody really offers that, we’re willing to try it,” said Cantu, 28, the manager at The Box Coffee Bar. “If we have what it takes, the

flavors and milks, we will try our best to put whatever it is you have in mind together.” And that includes lattes made with nine shots of espresso. The Box Coffee Bar is a locally owned coffee shop with two locations in Victoria. Community and good coffee are at the heart of Box Coffee, which opened its first location downtown in 2015, Cantu said. The Box Coffee Bar’s origin is almost as unique as its first shop. John Valdivia, the owner of The Box Coffee Bar, started working in the coffee business when he founded the Victoria Roasting Company. In 2014, Valdivia was driving through Victoria when he saw a vacant ATM kiosk and was inspired to open a coffee shop in the unused space.

VICTORIA Three years later the locally owned chain has expanded, adding a second location near the intersection of East Airline Road and North Laurent Street in 2016. All of the coffee for The Box is still provided by Valdivia’s original company, Victoria Coffee Roasters. The coffee shop’s menu includes lots more than a simple cup of joe. Two of their signature drinks are the Oreo frap and Cuban coffee, a sweetened espresso shot, Cantu said. The new location, which includes more seating space than the converted ATM kiosk, has become hugely popular among Box customers, Cantu said. Cantu said customers have used the new, bigger location for everything from small business meetings to study

sessions to catching up with friends over coffee. “We have a personal relationship with all of our customers,” Cantu said. “It’s not just a, ‘What are you having? Goodbye,’ kind of thing. It’s more of ‘How are you doing? How’s your family?’ It’s all very friendly and personal. I think people enjoy that. They enjoy knowing that somebody cares, even if it’s just five minutes in the day.”

 IF YOU GO THE BOX COFFEE BAR Downtown: 202 S. Main St. 361-579-3103

HOURS // 7 a.m. — 4 p.m. weekdays Town & Country: 2916 N. Laurent St. 361-703-5016

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

HOURS // 7 a.m. — 10 p.m., Monday-Saturday

Barista Hailey Starkey, 21, chats with Diana Sneed after making Sneed a drink at The Box Coffee Bar on South Main Street. The Box Coffee Bar’s downtown kiosk was once a free-standing ATM.

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Use our convenient Drive-Thru CLOSED SUNDAYS & MONDAYS • TUES, THU, SAT OPEN 11AM-9PM • WED, FRI OPEN 11AM-9:30PM | 3907 North Navarro • 361-578-5161• www.venturastamales.com VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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VICTORIA

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

Customers have lunch at Ventura’s Tamales, a second generation family-owned Mexican restaurant in Victoria.

VENTURA’S TAMALES FILLS CUSTOMERS WITH CONTENTMENT BY JON WILCOX jwilcox@vicad.com

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

Beef tacos are popular among customers at Ventura’s Tamales. The Beef Taco Wednesday special offers beef tacos for $1.29 each. 24

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At Ventura’s Tamales, customers are family, and a hearty meal is medicine for the soul. “It makes you feel good. It’s just something you enjoy,” said Susan Martinez, 57, who co-owns Ventura’s Tamales with her sister, Martha Vasquez, 56. “It brings people together,” Vasquez said. Since 1985, the sisters have served tacos with homemade shells, their namesake tamales, enchiladas drenched in melted queso and other authentic Mexican fare reminiscent of meals at abuelita’s house. In fact, the restaurant traces its roots to the sisters’ since-passed mother, Ventura L. Gutierrez, who began making and selling tamales out of a Victoria gas station on North Street in the 1980s. The sisters said they inherited their passion for feeding

families from Gutierrez, who they described as quiet, outspoken and hardworking. “We look for that wow factor in food,” Martinez said. “We have a passion for our business,” Vasquez said, adding, “I think it comes from my mother.” But decades later, the matriarch’s recipes feed not only her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren but also countless devoted customers who have grown to adore the restaurant’s menu. “We’ve raised a lot of kids on rice and beans,” Vasquez said. During most lunchtimes and dinners, the drive-thru line wraps around the building, and customers pack the expansive dining area, which contains a full bar. Even on cold and rainy days when many other restaurants languish, the business’s kitchen is usually going at full throttle. Nevertheless, the

VICTORIA food is worth the wait, the sisters agreed. “It’s kind of strange,” Martinez said, adding she suspects customers are drawn by their ample offerings of hot, nourishing meals. With more than three decades of business behind them, the sisters said they have watched generations of families fall in love with their food. Witnessing their youngest customers enjoying a meal at Ventura’s, Martinez said, is especially flattering. “It’s fantastic to go out into the dining room, and the parents are telling you it’s the kid who wanted to come here,” she said. And it’s not uncommon, Vasquez said, for teenage girls to request catering for their quinceañera parties.

Smiling, Vasquez recalled an autistic child who demanded their chicken tacos every “Taco Tuesday” when tacos go for $1.29 each. That mother, she said, quickly learned her child could tell the difference between Ventura’s tacos and imposters. “He won’t eat chicken tacos anywhere else,” she said, adding, “Can you imagine that? It’s kind of wild.” And adults, too, love the restaurant, Vasquez said, recalling how an adult daughter regularly brought her mother plates of carne guisada as the woman struggled through cancer treatments near the end of her life. “It’s something the older Mexican generation is kind of used to,” said Martinez. “It’s all generations we see,” Vasquez said.

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

Susan Martinez, 57, left, and her sister, Martha A. Vasquez, 55, are co-owners of Ventura’s Tamales in Victoria.

 IF YOU GO VENTURA’S TAMALES AND SPECIALTIES 3907 N. Navarro St., Victoria 361-578-5161

HOURS // 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, visit Ventura’s Tamales & Specialties on Facebook.

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VICTORIA

Madelynne Scales/Victoria Advocate

Twenty-eight ponds make up the Invista Wetlands, a collaborative partnership between Invista and Victoria school district.

VICTORIA OFFERS UNIQUE OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT BY GABRIELLA CANALES gcanales@vicad.com

Crossroads residents, students and teachers can stop to smell the flowers in a variety of places in the area. However, those who want the science behind the lesson can visit the Invista Wetlands. “It’s very unique. It’s the only spot at a chemical manufacturing plant that does this,” said John Snyder, Victoria school district wetland educator. The Invista Wetlands is a collaborative partnership between the school district and the Invista manufacturing site that formed to develop an outdoor environmental classroom for area students. 26

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It provides an entire ecosystem rich in diversity and concentration of species. People who venture to the wetlands can see 18 species of animals, six species of fish, more than 200 species of birds, 64 species of plants, 33 species of dragonflies, 33 species of snakes, six species of amphibians and five species of lizards. The wetlands are a habitat for plants and animals because of the local large breeding population of birds, which use the islands in the marsh sections. “Without the wetlands, we wouldn’t have thousands of birds born ever year,” he said.

People can study plants, animals, the water, the microbes in the water, the soil and chemistry. More than 60 lessons include soil dynamics, entomology, water chemistry, zoology and the study of flora. Groundbreaking for the wetlands began in August 1996, and it was commissioned April 12, 1998. The primary water source is the water stream from Invista’s aboveground biological treatment. The wetlands provide a more natural waterpurifying step before the water is discharged into the Guadalupe River.

The wetlands were developed, designed and built with input and guidance from the site’s Wetland Advisory Team consisting of engineers, scientists, wetland experts and wildlife specialists and community members. The wetlands brought business objectives, environmental stewardship and education together. “We’ve had over 70,000 students come to the wetlands in 20 years,” Snyder said. Visits must be scheduled. Contact John Snyder at 361652-5451 or email wetlandspecialist@gmail.com. “It’s extremely important and vital to the local animals,” he said about the wetlands.

VICTORIA  IF YOU GO INVISTA WETLANDS

ONLINE RESERVATION REQUEST A liability release form for each student and adult who will attend a Wetland Environmental Science Education Encounter. There are two versions of the liability form. Bring them with you the day of the trip. Complete the student sign in sheet prior to arrival. List all adults on the bottom of the form. There are no requirements as to how many adults you need to bring. FIELD & LABORATORY SAFETY There is an inherent danger in any “natural” setting. Be on the lookout and avoid snakes, spiders, wasps and fire ants. To minimize the chance of injury to yourself or others, you need to do the following: • Do not leave trails and enter any area of high grass or brush.

• Do not attempt to capture any animals known to sting or bite. This includes such insects and arachnids as spiders, scorpions, bees, wasps, hornets, ants and caterpillars. • Do not attempt to capture or harass any mammals, birds, amphibians or reptiles in the wetlands. • Walk and do not run anywhere in the wetlands including on the trails, pier, boardwalk and inside the education center. • Follow proper field and laboratory safety procedures. WETLANDS RULES • Stay out of the water. • Stay on trails and do not wander into the high grass or brush. • Do not climb on anything or stand on the pier/ boardwalk railings. • Do not wander from your group. • Walk and do not run anywhere in the wetlands. • Take care of and return items loaned to you.

• Follow safe laboratory and field procedures. • Food, soda, chewing gum and candy are not allowed. • Student purses or backpacks are not permitted in the wetlands. ITEMS TO WEAR • Comfortable clothes • Walking or hiking shoes (closed toe shoes — no sandals) • Hat • Sunscreen ITEMS TO BRING • Water bottle (recommended if it is hot outside) • First aid kit (Teacher is responsible for this item and for administering any first aid.) • Insect repellent (optional — recommend Bull Frog Mosquito Coast repellent/sunscreen) • Binoculars (optional) • Field guides (optional) • Camera (optional)

Copperfield Village

Madelynne Scales/Victoria Advocate

Various types of birds nest on an island of trees in the Invista Wetlands.

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VICTORIA

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

The YMCA swimming pool is packed with children and parents to cool off from the summer heat.

YMCA SWIMMING POOL IS A SUMMER OASIS FOR MANY RESIDENTS BY JON WILCOX jwilcox@vicad.com

If it weren’t for parents, some kids might decide to live at the YMCA’s swimming pool in Victoria. “I have to beg her to leave,” said Victoria mom Lupe Salazar about her 5-year-old daughter, who sometimes requires bribes to leave the pool. “My 6-year-old asks me every day if we can go to the YMCA ... every day,” said Candace McCarthy, a 25-year-old Victoria mom of three. While Salazar and other parents were quick to praise its immaculate facilities and professional staff, the pool at the Barbara Bauer Briggs Family YMCA is more than simply a place to swim. For kids, it’s a welcome escape from the summer’s heat and boredom. For parents, it’s a lifesaver. “It’s just a pool, but it really has saved my summer,” said Kristina Tamayo, a 33-year-old Victoria mom who admits she sometimes 28

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struggles to find things to do for her 9-year-old son. Compared to movie tickets, fun park admission and entry to other attractions, the $3 entry price for the pool is easily affordable. “I’m a single mom working on a budget,” Tamayo said, adding, “For me, that’s a great price.” In South Texas, where temperatures rise to the high 90s or above on a daily basis, playing outside on concrete or at parks can result literally in burns, Tamayo said. While the mother said she loves Victoria and its smalltown charm, finding something to do for her family that doesn’t involve sweating profusely or hiding indoors is often difficult. “Bless its heart, it’s just a little country town,” she said. The pool is a joint project with the YMCA and the city of Victoria. And the pool at the Y isn’t just any old place to swim.

Salazar and Tamayo agreed they were amazed at the quality and beauty of the recently opened facility. A “zero-entry” edge provides a gentle slope, similar to a beach, for smaller and less-confident swimmers to walk in without the fear of getting in over their heads. A host of bubbling fountains in the shallow end are the perfect place for young ones to frolic. Two short water slides offer a more thrilling but still safe means of splashing into the water. And a reasonably priced concession stand and covered poolside area with picnic benches and other seating make life comfortable for parents who don’t wish to get wet. While Tamayo said she sometimes takes a dip, she’d rather get lost in the pages of good novel. Parents agreed they feel safe taking their eyes off their children with numerous lifeguards watching.

“There are like a million lifeguards,” said McCarthy. While McCarthy said she loves how much fun her children have, time at the pool means her kids are better at swimming − a necessary and potentially lifesaving skill. “It’s important to me because you never know. Accidents can happen,” said McCarthy, adding, “Plus, it’s freaking hot in Texas.”

 IF YOU GO THE BARBARA BAUER BRIGGS FAMILY YMCA PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL 1806 N. Nimitz St., Victoria 361-575-0511 ymcavictoria.org

HOURS // Public swimming 1-5 p.m. weekdays; noon to 4:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. YMCA members are allowed extended swimming hours. ADMISSION: $3 per day for the public with re-entry allowed.

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VICTORIA AMERICAN KARATE INSTITUTE KEEPS TRADITION GOING BY MARCUS GUTIERREZ mgutierrez@vicad.com

When you walk into the American Karate Institute in Victoria, it’s easy to notice all the trophies, pictures and award patches on display. The accomplishments are a lot to take in, but Sensei Ralph Jaschke remembers that he starts with his students on Day 1 and looks forward to see how they improve throughout the years. “I enjoy watching my students develop and grow,” Jaschke said. “Everyone starts at the bottom for the most part, and it’s up to me and my staff to teach them and develop them over time. It’s something that I really enjoy doing.” A sensei is a martial arts teacher who focuses on teaching beginners through advanced classes. Jaschke, 67, has taught karate and other types of martial arts for more than 50 years. Since Jaschke started teaching martial arts in 1968, he has taught more

than 20,000 students. “I never set out for a number like 20,000 students,” Jaschke said. “It just happened like that. Some people like to do certain things in life for a long time, and for me it was teaching karate. I like that I get to stay in shape, and teaching keeps me going.” Jaschke, who is an eighttime black belt, opened Victoria’s American Karate Institute in 1988 and has seen parents bring their children in to develop their character. “Most parents bring their children to me for self-discipline for the most part,” Jaschke said. “Discipline is important in teaching karate, and you have to be mentally focused when you come into the dojo.” The American Karate Institute offers introductory, beginner, intermediate, advanced and sparring sessions at the dojo that focus on martial arts and self-defense. People of all ages attend the American Karate Institute and will move up when they have earned the proper belts.

Teaching more than 20,000 students has been special for Jaschke, but the one moment that stands out the most was when his son, Jason Krot, received his black belt in 1997. “The day my son got his black belt was probably the proudest moment as a sensei,” Jaschke said. “I pushed him to be great, and when he accomplished being a black belt, I was so proud.” Jaschke started karate training in 1967 under Sensei Tom Redmon and was awarded his black belt in 1970 from grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, who has been called the father of American tae kwon do. “I plan to continue teaching until I can’t anymore,” Jaschke said. “I have had students that I have taught and they bring their children, and we hope for it to continue like that. I’m always looking forward to a challenge and making my students better in martial arts. It’s what

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

I chose to do with my life, and I’m happy with the decision that I made.”

 IF YOU GO AMERICAN KARATE INSTITUTE 3208 Sam Houston Drive Suite C, Victoria 361-575-2467

HOURS // Monday/Wednesday/Friday 4:305 p.m. — Introductory course 5-5:45 p.m. — Beginner class 5:45-6:30 p.m. — Intermediate class Tuesday/Thursday 5:30-6:30 p.m. — Advanced class Saturday 10-11 a.m. — sparring, open gym, and competition class

MARTIAL ARTS IN VICTORIA

Victoria Karate Academy 4002 N. Main St., Victoria 361-570-5424 Victoria Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 1901 N. Main St., Victoria 361-575-8255 Victoria Mixed Martial Arts 205 Glascow St., Victoria 361-575-8255 Zhonghua School of Chinese Martial Arts 104 Circle St., Victoria 361-655-2816

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Lee Molina, 41, holds punching pads for student James Kurth, 45, at the Donovan Garcia, 13, gets into a defensive American Karate Institute. position while sparring with a partner at American Karate Institute. 30

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VICTORIA LASER WORLD ARENA A PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN BY KATHRYN CARGO kcargo@vicad.com

Laser World is the first of its kind in the Crossroads. The family venue has a three-story, more-than-6,000square-foot laser tag arena; about 30 arcade games; and a 4-D movie theater that plays six- to eight-minute animated films. People come from all over the Crossroads to enjoy Laser World. Parties are very popular, said store manager David Shelley. Jim Brand and Dante Garza own Laser World. Garza built the three-story arena that is all ramps and no stairs.

“It was a concept of one of the owners,” Shelley said. “He designed and created the whole arena and built it. He was hammer and nail out there.” The laser tag arena is top of the line and comes from the originators of the laser tag event, DarkLight Laser Tag. “If you get tagged, your equipment is disabled for six seconds so the person who tagged you can get away,” Shelley said. “It’s all about the score.” A laser tag game lasts about 15 minutes, with five minutes of instruction. Laser World’s laser tag arena is designed to look like an

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

People of all ages play laser tag at Laser World. 34

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ancient jungle with future technology to create a place out of this world. The arena has several paths leading throughout, allowing for every player to find a different way to try to win. “It’s a venue where people come to have fun for a couple hours at a reasonable cost,” Shelley said. “They can leave the world behind a little bit. We have a super crew” as well. Nancy Ives, 63, of Inez, took her grandchildren to Laser World for the first time this summer. She has three grandsons ages 6, 8 and 9 years old.

“There’s a big need in Victoria for this because the kids have nothing to do,” she said. “There’s not much for them to do, especially in a safe environment (like this) where you don’t have to worry about them.”

 IF YOU GO LASER WORLD 310 E. Larkspur St. 361-578-3005 laserworldvictoria.com

HOURS // 5-9 p.m. Thursday; 4-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m-10 p.m. Saturday; 1-9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday through Wednesday

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Laser World offers fun activities for the whole family, including laser tag, a 4-D movie theater and arcade games.

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Anthony Hotz, 39, rides a go-kart with his daughter at Outlaw Pass.

OUTLAW PASS A FAST-PACED PARK WITH EXCITEMENT BY KATHRYN CARGO kcargo@vicad.com

The Taylors take their 12-year-old boy and 9-yearold girl to Outlaw Pass almost every week. Both Melvin Taylor, 42, of Victoria, and his son enjoy the go-karts the most, and Taylor’s daughter likes the arcade inside and miniature golf, he said. “Being a young boy you dream about driving fast. You can go out there and drive as fast as you want,” he said. “Me as a dad, I love the go-karts. But of course my fun as a dad comes in ... watching (my) kids have a great time. That’s what makes me extremely happy and fills my heart.” Melvin Taylor and his wife, Ashley Taylor, 40, have taken Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com their children to the family Serenity Longoria, 6, climbs a rock wall at Outlaw Pass. The park offers fun for the whole family, including go-karts, minia- fun venue since it opened in ture golf, a rock climbing wall and an indoor arcade and cafe. March 2016. 38

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“The place, it’s a top-tier establishment — It’s a clean place. It’s a safe place,” Taylor said. Julie, 61, and Mark Mize, 59, both of Victoria, moved to Victoria from Houston, where Mark Mize was a residential appraiser. The couple did research and made plans for a business for about 10 years before building their facility. Outlaw Pass, 78 Tate Road, has a 700-foot go-kart track, 18-hole miniature golf course, an arcade, bungee jump, rock wall, water balloon fight corral, a train for small children and more, Julie Mize said. Before they opened, “we thought, that’s so important in life is people, friends and family getting together and being able to have relationships with one another, have fun times, laugh,

VICTORIA communicate and put memories together,” she said. The Mizes wanted to bring Outlaw Pass to Victoria to give families more options for entertainment in the city, she said. “With the go-karts, you can race each other, and miniature golf — get into small groups and challenge each other and talk and visit,” she said. “Hopefully it brings out the kid in everyone.” Mize said one of her favorite parts of owning the activity venue is having the opportunity to meet people. Outlaw Pass has also brought out the creative side of Mark Mize, she said. “We needed some benches — he gets on Pinterest and looks at benches,” she said. “He recently went to a flea

market with me and he’s never gone ... He found an old pump and old tub and built a little fountain with it.” The Taylors said they keep returning to Outlaw Pass because of the owners and employees. “The employees know my kids by name, and it’s a fantastic place to take the kids,” Taylor said. “They love it, and my kids can’t get enough of it.”

 IF YOU GO OUTLAW PASS 78 Tate Road 361-573-7277 outlawpass.com info@outlawpass.com

HOURS // Winter Hours: 4-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 1-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 1-9 p.m. Sunday; closed, Monday, Tuesday.

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Emilie Hotz, 11, rides a miniature train at Outlaw Pass.

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Paxton Schmidt, 7, dunks a ball in a basketball hoop at Hang Time Trampoline Park.

HOPS OF FUN FOUND AT TRAMPOLINE PARK BY GABRIELLA CANALES gcanales@vicad.com

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Sadie Seerden, 7, runs up a trampoline wall and Jaylee Rivera, 7, sits in the jumping area at Hang Time Trampoline Park. 40

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DISCOVER 2018

Ellianna “Ellie” Morales hurled a white dodge ball across the court while she jumped to dodge a ball that flew at her. “100 percent fun,” said Ellianna, 7, about how she loves to jump and flip on trampolines. Ellianna was one of Point Comfort resident Donna Basta’s 11 grandchildren whom she took to Hang Time Trampoline Park for a day of fun over the summer. “I love the bright colors,” Basta said as she looked around the building. The trampoline park’s theme has always been motion with a goal to get kids moving since it opened in February 2015, said owner Heath Seerden. With the desire to turn kids to activities other than video games and computers, he

designed the park to fit the small size of Victoria, he said. Since opening, Seerden said, they have hosted more than 3,000 birthday parties. The facility has no age limit. Attractions include a slam dunk basketball; dodgeball; a kid’s area; and Beam, an interactive jumping game. The newest attraction is Soc-Air, a mix between soccer and foosball with more bounce. One of the most popular events for young people is Midnight Madness, he said, when the arena is lit by black lights and a DJ plays music. Toddler Time is for children in kindergarten or younger and their parents before the facility opens Friday. Parents who bring their kids can supervise the fun from the upstairs party area, he said. The child’s safety is a priority. The trampolines are secured as opposed to the old-

school trampoline where a person’s foot could get caught between the springs, Seerden said. Also, all jumpers are required to wear gripped socks. They are sold for $2 on-site. There is something for all ages at the park, he said.

 IF YOU GO HANG TIME TRAMPOLINE PARK 4002 N. Main St., Victoria

HOURS // 4-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.10 p.m. Saturday; 1-8 p.m. Sunday; closed Wednesday JUMP RATES: $11.95 for 30 minutes; $14.95 for one hour; $19.95 for 90 minutes; $22.95 for two hours; $7.50 each additional hour; $15 for parent and child 5 and under. REQUIRED: All jumpers are required to wear gripped socks. They are sold for $2 on-site.

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VICTORIA

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Victoria Educational Gardens working member Suzann Herricks tends to the garden at 528 Waco Circle in Victoria.

GARDEN IS LABOR OF LOVE, HIDDEN PUBLIC TREASURE BY JESSICA PRIEST jpriest@vicad.com

A 90-year-old man used a shovel to till the soil that will one day nourish fruit trees. His fellow Victoria County Master Gardeners then unrolled a sheet of plastic. They hoped the plastic would trap the heat and kill any weeds Edwin Gregurek had missed. Gregurek stopped his back-breaking work only when summoned to chat with Victoria County Master Gardener President Myra Sue Schultze and Victoria County Master Gardener Pat Plowman by the greenhouse. They consider Gregurek and the Victoria Educational 42

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DISCOVER 2018

Garden he and others built from an empty field outside the county airport almost 20 years ago a treasure. “What’s your favorite part of the garden?” Schultze asked Gregurek. “The part where we rest,” he said with a wry smile spreading across his face. Gregurek was a member of the first class of Victoria County Master Gardeners in 1997. Today, there are about 115 members who spent 50 hours learning how to garden and another 50 hours actually doing it in this public space. And they’re looking for younger members who are able to keep pace with their ever-growing vision for the garden.

Plowman, who was also there during the early days of the garden, said it was initially supposed to educate children. “These days, they think food comes from H-E-B. They just don’t understand,” she said, pointing to a vegetable garden. Gregurek is a veteran and had to learn at age 10 that in order to get supper on the table, he had to hunt, fish or garden. “Living in the country during the Great Depression of the late 1920s, you had to raise your own food because there wasn’t any money to buy anything,” he said. “And during the World War II days, you had money, but

there wasn’t anything to buy. Everything was directed to the war effort.” Besides the vegetable garden, children can explore a screened area that has a plethora of milkweed for caterpillars to munch on and develop into butterflies. They can smell the blooms of banana bush and finger foxtail ferns in the sensory garden as well as learn about plants, such as esperanza, native to the area. In 2007, the Victoria County Master Gardeners added a lot for adults, too. There’s an heirloom garden, a patriotic garden, a rose harbor, a bulb garden, a water garden, a xeriscape

VICTORIA

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

A Monarch butterfly perches on a passion flower vine at the Victoria Educational Gardens. garden and international garden and, perhaps Gregurek’s and others’ favorite garden, the shade garden. They’re still selling pavers at cost as a way to pay homage to the garden’s roots. Officers from the Foster Field Airbase used to gather there in the 1950s and earlier. The Victoria County Master Gardeners also pride themselves on the fact that even the occasional vandal can’t discourage them from opening their doors to the public for free. And even though Hurricane Harvey downed about a dozen trees, they’re eagerly getting the garden in tip-top shape to host master gardeners from across

Texas for a convention April 25-27 as well as propagating plants to sell for a fundraiser in October. “I’ll be 69 soon, and I don’t consider that anything,” Schultze said. “I hope I’m out here 20 more years if I can walk and talk and breathe because this is a lot cheaper than a psychiatrist, I guarantee.” “Come out and visit and spread the good news,” Gregurek said. “There’s a lot to see.”

 IF YOU GO VICTORIA EDUCATIONAL GARDENS 528 Waco Circle, Victoria

HOURS // Free and open 24-7

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Victoria Educational Gardens Master Gardener Edwin Gregurek, 90, has been tending to the garden since 1997. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS DISCOVER CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE VICTORIA COUNTY

DEWITT COUNTY

Victoria Chamber of Commerce 7403 Lone Tree Road Suite 211 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-573-5277 victoriachamber.org

Cuero Chamber of Commerce Agriculture and Visitor’s Bureau 210 E. Main St., Cuero 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-275-2112 cuero.org

La Camara de Comercio Victoria 2001 E. Sabine St. Suite 103 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday 361-572-5900

Yoakum Area Chamber of Commerce 105 Huck St., Yoakum 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-293-2309 yoakumareachamber.com

Golden Crescent Black Chamber of Commerce 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-579-0610

ARANSAS COUNTY Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce 319 Broadway St., Rockport 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-729-6445 rockport-fulton.org

BEE COUNTY Bee County Chamber of Commerce 1705 N. St. Mary’s St., Beeville 361-358-3267

CALHOUN COUNTY Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce 2300 SH 35, Port Lavaca 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays 361-552-2959 portlavacachamber.org Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 701, Port O’Connor Open by appointment 361-983-2898 portoconnorchamber.com Seadrift Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 3, Seadrift 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-237-0406 seadriftchamber.com 44

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DISCOVER 2018

Yorktown Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 102 W. Main St., Yorktown 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays 361-564-2611 yorktowntx.com

GOLIAD COUNTY Goliad Chamber of Commerce 231 S. Market St. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; 6 a.m.-4 p.m., second Saturday 361-645-3563 goliadcc.org

JACKSON COUNTY Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 317 W. Main St., Edna 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-782-7146 jacksoncountytexas.com

LAVACA COUNTY Shiner Chamber of Commerce 817 N. Ave. E, Shiner 1-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday 361-594-4180 shinertx.com Moulton Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture P.O. Box 482, Moulton 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-596-7205 moultontexas.com Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture

1614 N. Texana St., Hallettsville 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-798-2662 hallettsville.com

NUECES COUNTY

Robstown Chamber of Commerce 101 E. Main St., Robstown 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-387-3933 robstownadc.com

Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce 130 W. Goodnight Ave., Aransas Pass 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-758-2750 aransaspass.org

Taft Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 123, Taft 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-528-3230 tafttx.com

Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce 602 N. Staples St., Corpus Christi 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-881-1800 unitedcorpuschristichamber.com

REFUGIO COUNTY

Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 615 N. Upper Broadway Suite 410, Corpus Christi 361-887-7408 unitedcorpuschristichamber.com Ingleside Texas Chamber of Commerce 2867 Avenue J, Ingleside 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-776-2906 inglesidetxchamber.com Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce 403 W. Cotter Ave., Port Aransas 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday 361-749-5919 portaransas.org

Refugio County Chamber of Commerce 301 N. Alamo St., Refugio 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays 361-526-2835 refugiocountytx.org

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY Sinton Chamber of Commerce 218 W. Sinton St., Sinton 10 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays 361-364-2307 Portland Chamber of Commerce 1512 Wildcat Drive, Portland 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 361-777-4650 portlandtx.org

WHARTON COUNTY El Campo Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 1 N. Mechanic St., El Campo 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays 979-543-2713 elcampochamber.com

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LISTS DISCOVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS VICTORIA COUNTY

BEE COUNTY

CALHOUN COUNTY

Bloomington Independent School District 2781 FM 616, Bloomington Prekindergarten-12 3A One elementary school, one primary school, one middle school, one high school 361-333-8016 bisd-tx.org

Beeville Independent School District 211 N. St. Mary’s St., Beeville 361-358-7111 Prekindergarten-12 4A One early childhood center, two elementary schools, one intermediate school, one junior high school, one academy, one high school beevilleisd.net

Calhoun County Independent School District 525 N. Commerce St., Port Lavaca Kindergarten-12 5A Three elementary schools, one kindergarten through eighth grade school, one middle school, one alternative school and one high school 361-552-9728 calcoisd.org

Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District 224 W. Main St., Skidmore Kindergarten-12 3A One elementary school, one junior high school and one high school 361-287-3426 stbobcats.net

DEWITT COUNTY

Nursery Independent School District 13254 Nursery Drive Kindergarten-5 One elementary school 361-575-6882 nurseryisd.org Victoria Independent School District 102 Profit Drive Prekindergarten-12 5A 17 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools 361-578-2711 visd.com

ARANSAS COUNTY Aransas County Independent School District 1700 Omohundro St., Rockport Prekindergarten-12 4A One prekindergarten and kindergarten school, one firstthird-grade school, one middle school and one high school 361-790-2212 acisd.org

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DISCOVER 2018

Pettus Independent School District 500 N. May St., Pettus Prekindergarten-12 2A One elementary school, one secondary school 361-375-2296 pettusisd.org Pawnee Independent School District 6229 FM 798, Pawnee 361-456-7256 Prekindergarten-8 One elementary school, one junior high school pawneeisd.net

Cuero Independent School District 960 E. Broadway St. Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one junior high school, one intermediate school, two elementary schools 361-275-1900 cueroisd.org Yoakum School District 315 E. Gonzales St., Yoakum Early childhood-12 4A One high school, one junior high school, one intermediate school (grades third-fifth), and one primary school (grades first and second) and a primary annex (early childhood, prekindergarten and kindergarten). Also home of multidistrict DeWitt-Lavaca Special Education Cooperative. 361-293-3162 yoakumisd.net

Yorktown Independent School District 331 W. Main St. Prekindergarten-12 2A One high school, one junior high school and one elementary school 361-564-2252 yisd.org Nordheim Independent School District 500 N. Broadway St. Prekindergarten-12 1A One school 361-938-5211 nordheimisd.org Meyersville Independent School District 1897 Meyersville Road Kindergarten-8 One school 361-275-3639 Meyersvilleisd.org Westhoff School District 244 Lynch Ave. Prekindergarten-8 One school 830-236-5519 westhoffisd.org

GOLIAD COUNTY Goliad Independent School District 161 N. Welch St. Prekindergarten-12 3A One elementary school, one intermediate school, one middle school, one high school 361-645-3259 goliadisd.org

LISTS JACKSON COUNTY Edna Independent School District 1307 W. Gayle St., Edna Prekindergarten-12 3A Elementary, junior high, senior high campus 361-782-3573 ednaisd.org Ganado Independent School District 210 S. Sixth St., Ganado Prekindergarten-12 2A One campus 361-771-4200 ganadoisd.org Industrial Independent School District 167 Fifth St., Vanderbilt Kindergarten-12 3A Two elementary schools, one junior high and one high school 361-284-3226 industrialisd.org

LAVACA COUNTY Shiner Independent School District 505 Texas Ave., Shiner 2A Prekindergarten-12 Elementary, junior high and high school 361-594-3121 shinerisd.net Moulton Independent School District 500 N. Pecan St., Moulton 1A Prekindergarten-12 One high school, one elementary school 361-596-4609 moultonisd.net

Hallettsville Independent School District 302 N. Bridge St., Hallettsville 3A Prekindergarten-12 Elementary, junior high and high school 361-798-2242 hisdbrahmas.org

Banquete Independent School District 4339 4th Street, Banquete Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one middle school, one elementary school 361-387-2551 banqueteisd.net

Vysehrad Independent School District 595 County Road 182, Hallettsville Prekindergarten-8 One school 361-798-4118 vysehrad.k12.tx.us

Bishop Consolidated Independent School District 719 E. Sixth St., Bishop Prekindergarten-12 2A One high school and one junior high school, three elementary schools 361-584-3591 bishopcisd.net

Ezzell Independent School District 20500 FM 531, Ezzell Prekindergarten-8 One school 361-798-4448 ezzellisd.org Sweet Home Independent School District 7508 FM 531, Sweet Home Prekindergarten-8 One school 361-293-3221 sweethomeisd.org

NUECES COUNTY Agua Dulce Independent School District 1 Longhorn Drive, Agua Dulce Prekindergarten-12 2A One high school, one elementary school 361-998-2542 adisd.net

Calallen Independent School District 4205 Wildcat Drive, Corpus Christi Prekindergarten–12 5A One high school, one middle school, three elementary schools 361-242-5600 calallen.org Corpus Christi Independent School District 801 Leopard St., Corpus Christi Prekindergarten-12 5A 37 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, eight high schools, three alternative schools 361-695-7200 ccisd.us Driscoll Independent School District 410 W. Ave. D, Driscoll Prekindergarten-8 One school 361-387-7349 driscollisd.us

Flour Bluff Independent School District 2505 Waldron Road, Corpus Christi Prekindergarten-12 5A One early childhood center, primary school, elementary school, intermediate school, junior high school and high school 361-694-9000 flourbluffschools.net London Independent School District 1306 FM 43, Corpus Christi Prekindergarten-12 2A One high school, one middle school, one elementary school 361-855-0092 londonisd.net Port Aransas Independent School District 100 Station St., Port Aransas Prekindergarten-12 1A One high school, one middle school, one elementary school 361-749-1200 paisd.net Robstown Independent School District 801 N. First St., Robstown Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, two junior high schools, three elementary schools, one prekindergarten 361-767-6600 robstownisd.org

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS Tuloso-Midway Independent School District 9760 La Branch, Corpus Christi Prekindergarten-12 5A One high school, two middle schools, one primary school 361-241-5836 tmisd.us West Oso Independent School District 5050 Rockford Drive, Corpus Christi Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one junior high school, two elementary schools 361-806-5900 westosoisd.net

REFUGIO COUNTY Refugio Independent School District 212 W. Vance St., Refugio Prekindergarten-12 2A One elementary school, one junior high school and one high school 361-526-5400 refugioisd.net Woodsboro Independent School district 408 S. Kasten St., Woodsboro Prekindergarten-12 1A One elementary school and one combined junior-senior high school 361-543-4519 wisd.net

Austwell-Tivoli Independent School District 207 Redfish St., Tivoli Prekindergarten-12 1A One elementary school and one combined junior-senior high school 361-286-3212 atisd.net

Mathis Independent School District 602 E. San Patricio Ave., Mathis Prekindergarten-12 3A One high school, one middle school, one intermediate school, one elementary school 361-547-3378 mathisisd.org

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY

Odem-Edroy Independent School District 1 Owl Square, Odem Prekindergarten-12 3A One high school, one junior high school, one elementary school 361-368-8121 oeisd.org

Aransas Pass Independent School District 2300 McMullen Lane No. 600, Aransas Pass Prekindergarten-12 2A One high school, one middle school, two elementary schools, one early childhood school 361-758-4200 apisd.org Gregory-Portland Independent School District 608 College St., Portland Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, two junior high schools, four elementary schools 361-777-1091 g-pisd.org Ingleside Independent School District 2664 San Angelo Ave., Ingleside Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one junior high school, two elementary schools, one primary school 361-776-7631 inglesideisd.org

Sinton Independent School District 322 S. Archer St., Sinton Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one middle school, two elementary schools 361-564-6800 sintonisd.net

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DISCOVER 2018

El Campo Independent School District 700 W. Norris St., El Campo Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one middle school, three elementary schools 979-543-6771 ecisd.org

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Wharton Independent School District 2100 N. Fulton St., Wharton Prekindergarten-12 4A One high school, one junior high school, two elementary schools, one alternative school 979-532-3612 whartonisd.net

Taft Independent School District Prekindergarten-12 3A 400 College St., Taft One high school, one junior high school, one elementary school 361-528-2636 taftisd.net

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DOWNTOWN ROCKPORT OPEN FOR BUSINESS AFTER HARVEY  GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK BOUNCES BACK AFTER HARVEY

By Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Seagulls sit on posts at the beach in Rockport.

ARANSAS

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Seagulls sit on posts at the beach in Rockport.

DOWNTOWN ROCKPORT OPEN FOR BUSINESS AFTER HARVEY BY JESSICA PRIEST jpriest@vicad.com

ROCKPORT — Jaedyn Lawrence sat down at a brightly colored piano, and her fingers flew across the keys. The music she created in a downtown that a year ago saw so much destruction from Hurricane Harvey brought smiles to her family. Beverly Trifonidis hopes they’ll bring that and so much more. Trifonidis, the executive director of the Rockport Cultural Arts District, had the piano donated and painted by locals. She put it outside, on the corner of Main and Austin streets, one weekend in June and invited everyone to play it. She said as one of 36 cultural districts in Texas, Rockport is working hard to get more creative entrepreneurs downtown because that drives up tourism and property values. The piano is just one way to do that. “We’re calling the campaign ‘Tune into downtown Rockport,’” she said, adding how the downtown businesses are open every second Sat50

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DISCOVER 2018

urday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. offering sales and beverages. She chuckled when she remembered how one day the piano was so popular she was literally left holding a charbroil barbecue grill cover. “That’s what we put on it so it doesn’t get dew on it overnight, but I had to wait until two women and their toddlers stopped playing,” Trifonidis said. Unfortunately, many can’t shake the picture of the Rockport they saw after Harvey hit. “They don’t realize that almost all of the restaurants and most of the stores have reopened,” she said. And those that haven’t are working hard to do so. Take the Aquarium at Rockport Harbor. It’s raising money to rebuild and this time wants to add air conditioning to make the children who visit more comfortable, Trifonidis said. In the meantime, its beloved honeycomb moray eel named Marley is living at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, according to its Facebook page.

The Rockport Center for the Arts is also rebuilding. In May, the Center’s base, a blue home built in 1890 on Navigation Circle, was demolished because of damages. The Center relocated to 106 S. Austin St. Center leadership is hopeful that grants from the Rebuild Texas Fund and the Still Water Foundation with a combined value of $1 million, will help make this base as popular as the last and eventually expand it, according to a news release. A garden made up of sculptures depicting wildlife by international artists remains on Navigation Circle as do the posts that held up a large blue crab synonymous with Rockport. According to a placard there, the large blue crab Harvey downed wasn’t the first large blue crab erected in Rockport. The first was made from rebar, chicken wire and papier mache in 1957 and stood outside the Del Mar Grill on Austin Street. It weathered Hurricanes Carla in 1961 and Beulah in 1967. Eventually, the Rockport-Fulton Chamber

of Commerce bought it for $200 and moved it to Navigation Circle, where it was replaced after deteriorating in Hurricane Celia in 1970. In 2012, a local artist built another blue crab from aluminum rods and tubing, screen, resin and matting. He made it larger and turned it into a female with red pinchers. Trifonidis thinks there’s bound to be another iteration of the large blue crab. And Rockport, she said, remains a place for art lovers to explore in flip-flops. For example, Maison, a design firm, is just one of the many businesses downtown that also sell locals’ wares. In August, it hung up illustrations by Gary D. Hanner, photographs by Lillian Jean and T-shirts by certified personal trainer Vincent Tran. Wind Way Gallery just down the street from Maison has pastel and oil paintings, pottery and jewelry created by nine women artists from Rockport. “We were lucky enough not to have much damage, so we were the first gallery to reopen after the hurricane,” said one of the artists,

ARANSAS Sandy Reese. “One day a week, we opened the gallery up to any artist in town and invited them to come in, have a cup of coffee with us and paint if they had lost their supplies and space to paint.” If visitors don’t have space in their suitcase for a painting, they can find something at New Beginnings. “At the same time, we also have things for locals because we have to rely on them when it’s not tourism season,” co-owner Michelle Simons said. And from New Beginnings, it’s a short walk to the Apple Dumpling Deli, 114 N. Magnolia St., a favorite of the locals. It offers soups, salads and sandwiches for between $6 and $10. Ron Young said the only thing he’d change about the deli is that he’d make it bigger. He and his wife and grandson had to wait a few minutes for a table to open up at lunchtime. “All their bread is freshly baked,” the 71-year-old tour guide said. “You don’t mind paying what they charge because you’re getting the freshest ingredients.” Back at the outdoor piano, the Lawrence family was grateful they could continue their summer tradition of visiting Rockport. They already had shopping bags in their hands. One contained a pillow and the other a T-shirt. “There was one day in my English class where we had to read an article about Harvey, and my teacher stopped and talked about it for a while, and I broke down and started crying,” 14-year-old Jaedyn Lawrence said. “Yeah,” her mother, Julie Lawrence, of San Antonio, said. “This is our home away from home.”

 IF YOU GO ROCKPORT CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2018

Oct. 11-14 — The 44th annual Rockport-Fulton Seafair. On the Aransas Navigation District grounds, the seafair has a gumbo cookoff, crab races, arts and crafts, a market, food vendors, an outdoor boat show and live entertainment. Go to rockportseafair.com or call 361729-6445 for more information. Oct. 19-20 — Rockport Fulton Shopping Tournament. Go to acedfoundation.org for more information. Nov. 1-3 — Rockport Film Festival. Shorts, features, documentaries, animations and student films from Texas and beyond will be shown. Go to rockportartcenter.com or call 361-729-5519 for more information. Nov. 2-3 — Lamar Market Days. This is a fundraiser for the Lamar Volunteer Fire Department. There’s a garage sale, a plant sale, a barbecue plate sale with homemade desserts. Call 361-205-0070 for more information. Dec. 1 — Tropical Christmas. There will be vendors, arts and crafts, games, entertainment and Santa Claus in downtown Rockport along with a lighted parade and a fireworks. For more information, call 361-727-2158. Dec. 1-2 — Christmas Tour of Historic Homes. Go to aransashistorycenter.org for more information. 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8 — Celebrate the season by singing along with carolers in candlelight outside the Fulton Mansion.

2019

May 4-5 — Nautical Flea Market. Hosted by the Rockport Yacht Club, this 18th annual event features nautical books and art as well as fishing gear. To rent a booth, call 361-729-1244. For more information, call 361-230-5019.

Feb. 2-3 — Clay Expo at the Rockport Center for the Arts

May 17-18 — Babes on the Bay. This is the largest one-day women angler fishing tournament in the U.S. It also has live bands perform, vendors and educational outreach. Go to babesonthebay.com for more information.

Jan. 31 — Winter Texan Appreciation Day. Go by the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, located at 319 Broadway St., for free refreshments, presentations, entertainment and door prizes.

Feb. 8-9 — LaMardi Gras. This festival benefits the Lamar Volunteer Fire Department and features food, entertainment and a parade. For more information, go to lamarvfd.com. Feb. 9 — Bountiful Bowl. At the Rockport-Fulton High School commons area, worldclass potters display and sell their work for the benefit of the Council on Aging. For more information, call 361-729-5352. March 7-10 — Fulton Oysterfest. This is a salute to the oyster industry that takes place at the Fulton Harbor Navigation Park and has live entertainment, arts and crafts, a parade, men’s and women’s oyster eating contests, oyster shucking and oyster decorating contests. Go to fultonoysterfest.org for more information. April 6 — The Rockport Center for the Arts will host the Coastal Charm Kickoff Party at the home of Ann and Stan Smith. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are between $85-100. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 7 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 8 — Tour six participating studios. Go to rockportstudiotour. com to buy tickets. April 7-May 13 — Exhibit for Glass Maker Brad Pearce. The Rockport Center for the Arts will host an opening reception at 5 p.m. April 7. For more information, call 361-729-5519 or go to rockportartcenter.com.

May 25-26 — Festival of Wine and Food. Go to the Texas Maritime Museum to enjoy the wines of the Americas, food demonstrations and specialty food concessions for the 22nd year. June 14-15 — The Texas Game Warden Association will host its eighth annual fishing tournament and concert at the Fulton Harbor Park. For more information, call 361-815-5752 or go to texasgamewarden.com. July 6-7 — Rockport Art Festival. Call 361-729-5519 or go to rockportartcenter.com for more information. Sept. 11-13 — Warrior’s Weekend Heroes Cup. This is a fishing tournament for soldiers wounded in the line of duty. Go to warriorsweekend.org for more information. Sept. 19-22 — Hummerbird Celebration. This event, now in its 31st year, will feature bus and boat tours, bird banding and lectures by worldrenowned birding experts. Call 361-729-6445 or go to rockporthummingbird.com for more information. SOURCE: Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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ARANSAS

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

The Big Tree, an oak tree that’s centuries old, at Goose Island State Park.

GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK BOUNCES BACK AFTER HARVEY BY JESSICA PRIEST jpriest@vicad.com

ROCKPORT — The Big Tree at Goose Island State Park has long been a symbol of resilience. When Rockport was battered by Hurricane Harvey, last year a lot of people were relieved when they learned that the Big Tree had only lost a few limbs. “I don’t know how many times I get messages on our Facebook page or even just visitors in the park who stop and talk about it and say, ‘I have pictures of me and my family with the Big Tree when I was a little kid.’ It’s just a really special memory for a lot of people,” said Sarah Nordlof, park interpreter and volunteer coordinator. With a 35-foot, 1 and 3/4inch trunk circumference and a crown spread 89 feet, it’s unclear just how old the Big Tree is. “And we’ll never know,” Nordlof said, “because really the only way to know for sure is to take a core sample and that involves drilling into it, and we’re not going to do that 52

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to the Big Tree because however old it is, it’s made it this far and we don’t know what the effect, especially with our drought-prone conditions, drilling would have on it.” But what is clear is that it has survived disasters before. For a long time, the Big Tree and St. Joseph’s Chapel, which is now known as the monastery the Villa Stella Maris, were all there was in the town of Lamar after a battle in 1865 started fires and largely destroyed it. The community eventually rebuilt and so, too, will Goose Island State Park, Nordlof said, when everyone comes together. “Personally, what I think is more impressive — and I don’t want to discount the importance of the Big Tree because it’s certainly a symbol for so many — is this whole oak mott surrounding it. The Big Tree is only so big and has only survived for so long because these smaller oaks around it have protected it,” she said. Nordlof, who began working at the park in January

2017, said her colleagues derived strength from each other after Harvey even though they were sad to tell visitors they couldn’t camp on the island because Harvey destroyed utilities there or fish on a popular pier it downed for at least a few years. “It was really neat to see the staff here become like a family after the storm,” she said. In the meantime, the park still has a lot to offer and a lot of people taking advantage of it. Nicole Tavernier, 33, drove 2½ hours from Pleasanton to the park to camp for several days with her family. “We have been here before a bunch of times,” she said after using the RV campsites’ water and electrical hookups to brush her teeth and unplugging an air conditioning unit they had placed in their tent. “We just like the location with all of the trees.” The RV campsites cost $18 a night while the tent sites cost $10. There’s also a group campsite designed by students from the University of Texas’ School of Architec-

ture with a shaded area to sit and have a meal. Visitors can also traverse a .66-mile trail to spot as many of the more than 300 species of birds seen at the park over the years. If they get too hot, they can head down to where the park meets St. Charles’ and Aransas bays and cast a net. Spotted sea trout, red drum, black drum and flounder are often caught there. Nordlof said the park will soon offer kayaking lessons and develop another 80 acres for outdoor lovers. “Mother Nature is awesome. She’s resilient and already has come back so much,” Nordlof said.

 IF YOU GO GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK

202 S. Palmetto St., Rockport HOURS // Gates are open 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; office is open 8 a.m.5 p.m. daily. COST: Entrance fee is $5; children 12 and under are free

BEE COUNTY

BEEVILLE LIBRARY A QUIET BUT FUN GETAWAY FOR CHILDREN

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

The Beeville Library offers more than 40,000 books for patrons of all ages.

BEE

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

The Beeville Library offers more than 40,000 books for patrons of all ages.

BEEVILLE LIBRARY A QUIET BUT FUN GETAWAY FOR CHILDREN BY GABRIELLA CANALES gcanales@vicad.com

BEEVILLE — A library is sometimes not quiet. “Every day is the best day to come to the library,” said Rosie Amaya, director of the Joe Barnhart Bee County Library. About 15 children sang and danced to “Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed” with Robert Young, public services librarian, in August, while patrons moved silently in and out of bookshelves. The 10,000-square-foot, two-story library, located on the courthouse square, offers modern technology, databases, a large print collection and digital books. The library, which opened March 3, 2001, averages about 60 patrons daily in the summer and about 40 during normal operations, said Denise Gutierrez, circulation manager. One of the most popular events the library hosts is the Wild Things Zoofari that 54

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averages about 350 people in attendance, she said. The library provides more than 26 public access computer workstations with high speed internet connections as well as wireless services for people wanting to use their own laptops. The library has more than 40,000 volumes, including a first edition Samuel Johnson dictionary dated 1755. Computer classes are open to the public and include lessons on computer basics, social media, Apple, coding, Skype, Google and resume and job search. A Homework Center is open to children of all ages, Gutierrez said. “It’s an awesome place,” she said. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission recently awarded the library with the Family Place Libraries grant opportunity with a purpose to create a

welcoming, family-centered environment that empowers caregivers of young children as they become their child’s first teachers. The grant will provide funding for the equipment and training necessary for each library to host workshops for children 0-3 and their caregivers, develop an interactive space for this age group to play and learn in the library and forge strong partnerships with community organizations serving young children and their families. The library will send two staff members to training in New York. It will also receive $6,000 to buy supplies necessary to launch a successful Family Place Library location at their facility. Amaya said the expansion will provide the community with more services. “We are the learning crossroads of our community,” she said.

The library is not the only place to visit in Beeville. The McClanahan House is the oldest business structure in Beeville. The building, the second store built in Beeville by George W. McClanahan, was built about 1867 on the east side of the courthouse square, near Poesta Creek. The house, 206 E. Corpus Christi St., served as general store, lodging house and post office. It was built in the pioneer western style with southern porches. McClanahan was Beeville’s first merchant. He was among the first to buy auctioned lots in the newly formed town of Beeville in 1859. McClanahan also served as schoolteacher, postmaster, county clerk, innkeeper and Sunday school superintendent. After McClanahan’s death, L.F. Roberts purchased and operated the store for many years. The museum is open from 2 to 4 p.m. the first Sunday

BEE of every month. Call 361358-1550 to schedule a visit. The Beeville Art Museum is in the Esther Barnhart House. The museum, 401 E. Fannin St., hosts a variety of summer classes and events. The house was built in 1910 by the R.L. Hodges family and continued to be occupied by descendants of its original owners until 1975. In 1981, the Hodges house and adjacent acreage were purchased by Dr. Joe Barnhart, of Houston. Barnhart named the Hodges house the Esther Barnhart House in honor of his mother. He then developed the land into a park to be used for the enjoyment of the community and named the park the Joe Barnhart Park in honor of his father. Travelers to Beeville can find burger bliss at Sammy’s Burgers and Brew. The restaurant, 2144 Ellis Road, is open 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Sunday. The Farias family opened the restaurant in 2012. They had a previous location on the west side of town for about 20 years. Patrons can enjoy outdoor seating complete with hanging lights. Original hot wings and burgers are staples on the menu. Visitors can shoot for a strike at the Bee Family Fun Center. The center, 3900 N. St. Marys St., first launched in October 2012. It is open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. In addition to a bowling alley, the center also has a jukebox, arcade games and a variety of snacks and food for purchase.

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Robert Young, public service librarian, leads story hour at the Beeville Library.

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Wings at Sammy’s Burgers & Brew, a popular watering hole and eatery in Beeville.

 IF YOU GO JOE BARNHART BEE COUNTY LIBRARY 110 W. Corpus Christi St., Beeville

HOURS // 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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SAND BREATHES NEW LIFE TO KING FISHER BEACH  THE POINT OFFERS VIETNAMESE FOOD TO LOCALS KRITTER KORRAL SHOWCASES EXOTIC ANIMALS TO THE PUBLIC  TEXAS TRADITIONS RESTAURANT CONTINUES TO SERVE LOCAL FAVORITES

CALHOUN COUNTY

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3802 Navarro • Victoria, TX

361-572-3369

2807 N. John Stockhauer • Victoria, TX

361-579-9929

1401 N. Virginia • Port Lavaca, TX

361-552-7476

CALHOUN

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

McCoy Traugott 3, paddles around the waters of King Fisher Beach. Behind him, his brothers, Dobson, 4, and Tolan, 6, share a kayak.

SAND BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO KING FISHER BEACH BY SAMANTHA DOUTY Victoria Advocate

PORT O’CONNOR — Umbrellas spread over the hot sand at King Fisher Beach with beach dwellers retreating from the sun underneath among them were Kay Henderson and her two friends. With the smell of sunscreen in the air and cold drinks in their hands, the three Round Rock women enjoyed a day of their three-day weekend away from home. “It’s a great getaway,” Ann Morton, 63, said. She and Rosie Lee, 57, were staying with Henderson at her vacation house in Port O’Connor. Henderson uses the beach 58

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as an escape from work, she said, but it wasn’t always that way. The beach recently received a deposit of sand and other materials from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which began dredge work in April. The Army Corps of Engineers commissioned the project with King Fisher Beach on the receiving end of the materials. This was the breath of life the beach needed, Henderson, 65, said. She has been coming to the beach for the past six decades and said the area used to be a sea wall that dropped to the water. The sand was nearly non-existent.

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

An inviting beach chair sits alone in the water at King Fisher Beach.

CALHOUN “I really like how they did all the sand,” Henderson said. Now, she and her friends sit in chairs nestled in the white sand with the breeze coming off the water keeping them cool.

“Before there was no beach to call a beach,” Morton said. Next to the trio were Pauline and Todd Traugott, of Victoria. They sat in chairs with their feet in the water,

watching their nephews play in the waves. Seagulls called out from overhead as the young boys cut through the water with their orange oars. Their blue canoes rocked side to

side as slight waves broke against them. The Victoria couple brought Todd’s brother and his sons from Fredericksburg to Port O’Connor for the day. They went shark fishing in the morning and made their way to King Fisher Beach for some afternoon fun. “It looks way better than the way it was before,” Todd said. In the distance, kids ran across the hot sand toward the pier. People continued to show up and stake their part of the beach with a towel and an umbrella. “It looks great. It needed (the sand),” Pauline said, looking at the area around her. “It brought a lot of families out.”

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Dobson Traugott, 4, and his brother, Tolan, 6, splash in the water at King Fisher Beach.

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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CALHOUN

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Yen Tran jokes with a customer at The Point while taking his order.

THE POINT OFFERS VIETNAMESE FOOD TO LOCALS BY SAMANTHA DOUTY Victoria Advocate

PALACIOS — In 2015 Yen Tran and her husband decided to reopen her late brother’s convenience store, The Point in Palacios, after it sat boarded up for a few years. “It looked really sad,” Tran said. Her brother owned the store for almost a decade before he died of pancreatic cancer. The convenience store switched ownership but it eventually closed for several years. Once they decided to reopen the store, the community rallied around the family to help. Community members helped renovate the space, and an eighth60

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grade shop class built the tables and chairs, she said. She added a kitchen to the store to bring in some new business. With Dollar General and a food market in the same area, the convenience store needed an extra boost, and that was the kitchen. There, they cook and serve homemade Vietnamese food. Tran’s favorite is pho, a Vietnamese soup. “Everything on the menu now is my favorite,” she said. She initially didn’t want to cook food, but her friends suggested the addition. Her husband does all the cooking, while Tran handles the day-to-day operations. The convenience store has snacks, drinks, fishing gear

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

A sample plate of some of The Point’s menu items — spring roll with shrimp and pork, shrimp and pork paste wrapped in rice paper and fried and pork egg roll. The Point serves a variety of sauces with their food, including Thai peanut sauce, fish sauce, spicy mayo and Thai sweet chili sauce.

CALHOUN

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Alejandra Forcado, 22, adds piping-hot slices of beef brisket to three to-go orders of pho, a Vietnamese soup. and the kitchen. The store was featured on “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,” which s printed on the shirts they sell in varying colors. Pam Oliver, executive director of the Palacios Chamber

of Commerce, helped Tran with some paperwork that went into opening the store and scheduling the grand opening. Oliver said she likes to support local Palacios businesses anyway she can. “I go there and eat twice a

week,” she said. The pulled pork sandwich is one of her favorites. Its location on the bay is also pleasing to Oliver. In the small store, Tran has young people working with her behind the register and in the kitchen. One of those employees is Jessica Nguyen, 19. “I’m one of the originals,” she said. Nguyen, who started out behind the register, said it has made her a more social person because she constantly has to interact with people. Her favorite place to work though, is in the kitchen. She works at the store during the summer and goes to college at Wharton County Junior College during the rest

of the year. Before opening The Point, Tran was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the U.S. after the fall of the government in 1975. Years later, they made Palacios their home. She was a seventh-grade math teacher for about 24 years when she retired to keep her brother’s legacy alive. “I have my brother’s memory here,” she said.

 IF YOU GO THE POINT CONVENIENCE STORE & RESTAURANT 608 1st St., Palacios

HOURS \\ 5 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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CALHOUN

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

The Kritter Korral is a livestock and exotic animal farm on Indianola Beach that is open to the public for people to learn about and interact with the animals.

KRITTER KORRAL SHOWCASES EXOTIC ANIMALS TO PUBLIC BY SAMANTHA DOUTY Victoria Advocate

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Annette McFarlin, 66, owner and operator of the Kritter Korral, feeds her animals a banana. The Kritter Korral is a livestock and exotic animal farm on Indianola Beach that is open to the public for people to learn about and interact with the animals. More than 100 animals, including goats, alpacas, monkeys, deer, kangaroos and chickens, call the Kritter Korral home. 62

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INDIANOLA BEACH — The Kritter Korral is full of odd pairings. “The cow and the deer are best friends,” Dave Brady, Kritter Korral operations manager, said. Throughout the animals’ large enclosure, kangaroos lounge with goats, alpacas chill with a donkey and monkeys hang out next to ducks and chickens. These are some of the oddities a person can find at the Kritter Korral on Indianola Beach in Port Lavaca. The livestock and exotic

animal farm has about 150 animals living there each of them have their own names. “I impress myself every day because I can remember their names,” owner Annette McFarlin said. McFarlin, 66, isn’t in it for the money. She said she is an animal lover and decided the Kritter Korral is her retirement hobby. Like McFarlin, Brady does it all out of love. He said he spends about an hour every morning and night feeding the animals, which doesn’t include cleaning up. The farm is free to the public to interact with ani-

CALHOUN

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

The Kritter Korral is a livestock and exotic animal farm on Indianola Beach that is open to the public for people to learn about and interact with the animals. mals that most will only see behind bars. But at the Korral, people can get up close and personal. “Our enjoyment comes from watching people.” McFarlin said. One of Jill Kirby’s favorite parts of the Korral was standing in a cage while a monkey ran across her body.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Kirby, 50, of Aledo. She went to the Kritter Korral in June for her daughter’s 13th birthday party. The family was staying at their beach house nearby and her daughter, Grace Kirby, insisted on having her party at the Korral. This birthday was a special

one for Grace. Her birthday was in May, but the month before she had a brain tumor and taking care of her health came before a party. When her parents gave her the goahead for a party, she chose the Kritter Korral. Jill Kirby said the Kritter Korral is different than any other petting zoo she has experienced because they let you hold the animals. McFarlin said all of her animals are friendly because they have interacted with humans most, if not all, of their lives. She typically sees about 40 people a day wander through the Korral, interacting with the animals. She is happy to see business pick up since Hurricane Harvey. When the storm made landfall, the farm was thrashed. Most of the animals’ housing

was destroyed, and the owners have slowly rebuilt. Now, it seems to be back to normal, she said. With the summer heat, they have cut down on their hours. McFarlin and Brady are typically outside from 9  a.m. to noon and 7 to 8:30 p.m. That’s when they are feeding and cleaning to stay out of the heat. McFarlin said they can be open for anybody most times when they are closed if the visitors call ahead. “We love it,” she said.

 IF YOU GO KRITTER KORRAL

550 SH 316, Indianola Beach HOURS \\ 9 a.m. - noon and 7 - 8:30 p.m. every day Free admission, donations are accepted

LISTS DISCOVER DANCE HALLS VICTORIA COUNTY Club Westerner 1005 W. Constitution St., Victoria Available for private events 361-575-9109 clubwesterner.com Inez Community Center 2511 U.S. 59 North, Inez Available for private events 361-782-5112 Victoria Community Center 2905 E. North St., Victoria Available for private events 361-485-3215 victoriatx.org

DEWITT COUNTY

Gruenau Hall 1012 Gruenau Road, Yorktown Available for public events 361-816-7200 gruenauhall@gmail.com Garfield Hall 9688 Garfield Road, Yorktown Available for public events 361-564-3258 Yorktown Community Hall 60 Community Hall Road, Yorktown Available for public events 361-649-4824 Lindenau Hall 22 Streidel Lane, Cuero Available for private events 361-564-4583

Nordheim Shooting Club 101 W. 9th St., Nordheim Available for public events 361-935-6306 nordheimshootingclub.com Turner Hall SH 111 West, Yoakum Regular dances with primarily country-Western, polka and waltz music 361-293-5576

GOLIAD COUNTY Schroeder Hall 12516 FM 622, Goliad Country and bluegrass music; live bands 361-573-7002 schroederdancehall.com

Weesatche Dance Hall 140 E. FM 884, Weesatche 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday for dinner Jukebox music 361-564-3360

NUECES COUNTY The High Chaparral Dance Hall 1961 US 77 North, Robstown Available for private events 361-387-1957 visitcorpuschristitx.org Moravian Hall 5601 Kostoryz Road, Corpus Christi Available for private events 361-852-5747 moravianhallcorpuschristi.com VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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CALHOUN TEXAS TRADITIONS RESTAURANT CONTINUES TO SERVE LOCAL FAVORITES

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Victor Franek, 66, owner and operator of the Texas Traditions Grill & Bakery restaurant in Port Lavaca, talks to regular customers during the afternoon lunch rush. BY SAMANTHA DOUTY Victoria Advocate

PORT LAVACA — On Port Lavaca’s Main Street, Texas Traditions Grill & Bakery restaurant is nestled on a street corner. Customers are welcomed with a rustic “Welcome friends” sign and the soft melodies of country music over

the speakers. Victor Franek, 66, and his family opened the restaurant nine years ago. “We wanted to have something that would be different in Port Lavaca,” he said. The restaurant features Texas favorites such as chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, chicken and dumplings and burgers. They also

serve fresh-baked pies and other bakery items, including cheesecakes from the Cheesecake Factory, Franek said. Franek has been in the food service industry for a few years now. He owned a restaurant in Houston before making the move to Port Lavaca. There, he works with his son, his wife and his daughter-in-law. “We love serving the public,” he said. Texas Traditions Grill & Bakery doesn’t rely on advertising to get a lot of its business. The only advertising anyone can see for the restaurant is a billboard in Point Comfort, Franek said. Franek prides himself on owning a family-orientated business, which is one of the reasons he closes the store Sundays. “We just thrive in making customers happy,” he said. Paul Perez, 39, and Irene Carrera, 44, hadn’t been to Texas Traditions Grill & Bak-

ery in quite some time, but decided to go back for the friendly customer service and the food. “They are really nice people,” Carrera, of Port Lavaca, said about the staff at Texas Traditions. Her favorite is the fried mushrooms, she said. While Carrera enjoys the mushrooms, Perez said he is a fan of the chicken fried steak — one of the more popular food items on the menu. The prices are a bit steep, Perez said, but the atmosphere and hospitality keeps him coming back for more at the Texas Traditions Grill & Bakery.

 IF YOU GO TEXAS TRADITIONS

234 E. Main St., Port Lavaca HOURS \\ 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 5 - 8:30 p.m. Moday Wednesday; 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 5 - 9 p.m. Thursday Sarturday; closed Sunday

LISTS DISCOVER PRIVATE SCHOOLS VICTORIA COUNTY Crossroads Christian School 105 W. Stayton Ave. Kindergarten-12 One campus 361-212-3078 crossroadschristianvictoria.com Faith Academy 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane, 539 Waco Circle Pre-kindergarten-12 One elementary school, one middle school/high school 361-573-2484 Faithacademyvictoria.com 64

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DISCOVER 2017

Nazareth Academy 206 W. Convent St. Pre-kindergarten-8 One elementary/middle school campus 361-573-6651 Nazarethacademy.org Our Lady of Victory School 1311 E. Mesquite Lane Pre-kindergarten-8 One elementary/middle school campus 361-575-5391 Ourladyvictory.org

Presbyterian Day School 2408 N. Navarro St. One daycare/preschool 361-575-1551 Presbyteriandayschool.org St. Joseph High School 110 E. Red River St. Grades 9-12 361-573-2446 Stjvictoria.com

Trinity Episcopal 1504 N. Moody St. Pre-kindergarten-8 Early learning center, lower school and middle school 361-573-3220 Tecvictoria.org Victoria Christian School 601 E. Colorado St. One elementary school 361-573-5345 Victoriachristian.org

LISTS ARANSAS COUNTY

LAVACA COUNTY

ABC Learning Center 1422 E. Cedar St., Rockport Preschool 361-729-1512 Abclearningcenter.org

Shiner Catholic School 424 St. Ludmilla St., Shiner Kindergarten-12 One school 361-594-3843 shinercatholicschool.org

Sacred Heart School 111 N. Church St., Rockport Pre-kindergarten-5 361-729-2672 Shsrockport.org First Learning Tree 801 E. Main St., Rockport 361-729-0883 Fltree.org

CALHOUN COUNTY Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School 301 S. San Antonio St., Port Lavaca Pre-kindergarten-8 361-552-6140 olgmariners.org/

BEE COUNTY First Baptist Church 600 N. St. Mary’s St., Beeville 4 years old-6th grade 361-358-4161 fbcschool.com/ St. Philip’s Episcopal School 105 N. Adams St., Beeville Pre-kindergarten-5 361-358-6242 St. Mary’s Academy Charter School 400 N. Tyler St., Beeville Kindergarten-6 361-358-5601 smacs.net/

Holy Family Elementary School 2526 Soledad St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-5 361-884-9142

St. James Episcopal School 602 S. Carancahua St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-8 361-883-0835 St. Pius X Catholic School 737 St. Pius Drive, Corpus Christi Kindergarten-7 361-992-1343

Incarnate Word Academy High School 2910 S. Alameda St., Corpus Christi Grades 9-12 361-883-0857

Second Baptist Church Child Development 6701 S. Staples St., Corpus Christi Daycare/preschool 361-994-1751

Incarnate Word Academy Middle Level 2917 Austin St., Corpus Christi Grades 6-8 361-883-0857

Cyril & Methodius Elementary School 5002 Kostoryz Road, Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-5 361-853-9392

Acushnet KinderCare 4040 Acushnet Drive, Corpus Christi Daycare/preschool 361-851-2861

Incarnate Word Academy Elementary Level 450 Chamberlain St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-5 361-883-0857

St. Anthony School 203 Dunne Ave., Robstown Pre-kindergarten-8 361-387-3814

Annapolis Christian Academy 3875 S. Staples St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-12 361-991-6004

John Paul II High School 3036 Saratoga Blvd., Corpus Christi Grades 9-12 361-855-5744

Arlington Heights Christian School 9550 Leopard St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-8 361-241-4460

Montessori School 901 Brawner Parkway C, Corpus Christi Prekindergarten-kindergarten 361-883-9306

Providence Christian Academy 2454 County Road 319, Yoakum Kindergarten-12 One school 361-594-8808 Sacred Heart Catholic School 313 S. Texana St., Hallettsville Pre-kindergarten-12 One school 361-798-4251 shschool.org

NUECES COUNTY

Bishop Garriga Middle School 3114 Saratoga Blvd., Corpus Christi Grades 6-8 361-851-0853

First Baptist School 3115 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten- 5 361-884-8931

Most Precious Blood Catholic School 3502 Saratoga Blvd., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-5 361-852-4800 Mount Olive Lutheran Preschool 5101 Saratoga Blvd., Corpus Christi Daycare/preschool 361-991-9289

DEWITT COUNTY

Brighton Park Baptist School 3418 Airline Road, Corpus Christi Kindergarten-12 361-991-2445

St. Michael’s Catholic School 208 McLeod St., Cuero Pre-kindergarten-7 One school 361-275-3854 stmschoolcuero.org

Cathedral of the Palms Christian School 3401 S. Alameda St., Corpus Christi Kindergarten-9 361-853-0126

St. Joseph Elementary School 310 Orth St., Yoakum Pre-kindergarten-8 One school 361-293-9000 Stjcatholicschool.com

Central Catholic Elementary 1218 Comanche St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-5 361-883-3873

Primera Day School 1509 Tarlton St., Corpus Christi Daycare/preschool 361-884-3582

Coastal Bend Adventist Jr. Academy 6645 Downing St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-8 361-991-6968

River Hills Christian Academy 16318 FM 624, Robstown Pre-kindergarten-2 361-933-1114

JACKSON COUNTY Edna Christian Academy 807 Apollo Drive, Edna Pre-kindergarten-8 361-782-2052 ednachristianacademy.org

Everhart KinderCare 6826 Everhart Road, Corpus Christi Daycare/preschool 361-991-3300

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Academy 5814 Williams Drive, Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-8 361-991-7891

Rodd Field Road KinderCare 1354 Rodd Field Road, Corpus Christi Daycare/preschool 361-991-6571

St. Patrick School 3340 S. Alameda St., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-6 361-852-1211 St. Paul Lutheran School 801 E. Main St., Bishop Pre-kindergarten-5 361-584-2778 Yorktown Christian Academy 5025 Yorktown Blvd., Corpus Christi Pre-kindergarten-12 361-985-9960

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY North Bay Christian School and Child Development 2536 SH 361, Ingleside Pre-kindergarten-12 361-776-2465

WHARTON COUNTY Faith Christian Academy 5227 FM 1301, Wharton 1 year old-grade 12 One school 979-531-1000 cawharton.org St. Philip Catholic School 302 W. Church St., El Campo Pre-kindergarten-8 One school 979-543-2901 Stphilipschool.org Presbyterian Preschool and Day School 312 Depot St., El Campo Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten One preschool 979-543-3658

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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DOWNTOWN CUERO OFFERS VARIETY OF CHOICES FOR SHOPPERS  LUTHERAN CHURCH BRINGS HISTORIC BEAUTY TO YORKTOWN  THE VENUE IS A TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS STYLE GRACE

DEWITT COUNTY

McKenna Moore, 6, left, and McKalah Moore, 8, smell the bath bombs at the farmers market on Cuero Main Street.

By Qiling Wang

50% OFF RETAIL EVERYDAY

FREE LAYAWAY • BRIDAL REGISTRATION AVAILABLE

361-293-6363

Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sat. • 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

44 State Hwy 95 North-Yoakum (Corner of Hwy 95 N and 77A) We accept major credit cards *Applies to suggested retail price.

EVERYTHING IS BETTER IN THE COUNTRY

ESPECIALLY THE PRICES!

DEWITT

Qiling Wang/Victoria Advocate

A hammock hangs for sale at the farmers market in downtown Cuero.

DOWNTOWN CUERO OFFERS VARIETY OF CHOICES FOR SHOPPERS BY AMBER ALDACO aaldaco@vicad.com

CUERO — On the last Saturday morning of each month,

dozens of people can be found parking their vehicles and walking through downtown to get their market fix.

The Downtown Farmers Market has become a place where up to 25 vendors spend their weekend to sell handcrafted items, homemade jellies and sweets, or artistically repurposed furniture. Meredith Metting took her 7-year-old daughter, Harper , and 2-year-old son, Turner, to the market to shop and to enjoy a sidewalk-chalk event one weekend in the summer.

 IF YOU GO DOWTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET Cuero Market Pavillion, 207 E. Main St.

By Qiling Wang

McKenna Moore, 6, left, and McKalah Moore, 8, smell the bath bombs at the farmers market on Cuero Main Street. 68

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DISCOVER 2018

HOURS \\ 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 4th Saturday of the month, March - October

Harper was already excited to wear one of her market finds — a navy blue Puebla dress her mother bought for her from one of the downtown vendors. “It’s all so unique. I like that we’re able to walk around and able to buy a new dress and shop as you like with the variety,” Metting, 34, said. “I grew up in Cuero, so it’s nice that the town offers something like this.” The event takes place underneath the Market Pavilion, located in the parking lot of the Cuero Municipal Library, on the fourth Saturday of the month, March through October. In March and October, the event is called Market on

DEWITT Main and in addition to the farmers and handmade market, there’s music and a wine and beer garden. From locals to those visiting the area, the Farmers and Handmade Market is a place where many jump-start their weekend and bring their family to enjoy the small-town atmosphere. The pavilion, was built earlier this year, specifically for the market and downtown events, said Sandra Osman, Cuero Main Street manager. “The market pavilion is the perfect creative space and cool space with fans, so that vendors and customers can enjoy their experience at the market,” Osman said. What makes the market unique to Cuero is that both farmers and artisans within a 100-mile radius are able to sell their items at the market, Osman said. Shoppers can find grass-fed meats, farm eggs, local honey, pickles, jams, jellies, baked

goods, a variety of squash, a variety of zucchini, different types of peppers, apple butter and local wine at the farmers market. Craft vendors sell clothes, shoes, different types of jewelry, purses, home and outdoor decorations. The market has up to 10 consistent farmers, and the number of artisan and craft vendors continue to grow, she said. “The majority of our goal is to have a farmers market but to also bring people downtown to the other shops and museums so that people can see that Cuero is a destination town,” Osman said. The success of the smalltown market has reached the ears of bordertown vendor Abel Ramirez, of Brownsville, who drives four hours with items from his store, Ramirez Curios, to sell in Gobbler Country once a month. “All the items I have here are handcrafted items from Mexico,

so I bring a little piece of Mexico here,” Ramirez, 41, said. The vendor has received positive reaction from Crossroads residents, he said, and he wants to continue to market items such as Pueblo dresses, colorful leather sandals, purses, hats, blankets and hammocks. He looks forward to having a booth at the Christmas in Downtown event in December, one of the biggest events of the year for Cuero. The market is also an opportunity for budding business owners to spread their wings. Cathy Coronado and her husband, Adrian Coronado, own The Dusty Trail — New, Used and In Between store in Victoria. The Victoria couple decided to have a booth at the market to sell to more in the Crossroads, Cathy Coronado said. “We like it here because we get to see so many people and talk to them about what they like,” Coronado, 28, said. Downtown also offers a variety of other businesses. CRAFTY IDEAS Those looking to bring out their creative side can call and stop by Crafty Chics, a shop that specializes in artistic crafts in a variety of mediums. The shop first started as a home hobby for co-owners Connie Hawes and Lisa Waterbury. The two hosted craft parties at their homes for friends and soon needed a bigger venue for hosting.

 IF YOU GO CRAFTY CHICS 106 N. Gonzales St. 361-524-5324 Crafty Chics Cuero on Facebook

Amber Aldaco/aaldaco@vicad.com

Crafty Chics, one of the newest additions to downtown Cuero, offers public and private creative crafting classes.

HOURS \\ 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday - Saturday or more info

“We decided we wanted a more permanent base so that people can come to us now,” Hawes said. Crafty Chics offers monthly painting on canvas classes and offers painting on mediums such as Mason jars, wine bottles and pallet boards. The shop also offers classes and workshops on scrapbooking, photo albums, greeting cards and sewing. “We let our clients give us an idea of what they want to do and we’ll put it together and schedule a class on it,” Hawes said. Crafty Chics has classes that are open to the public, but private classes are available for parties as well. Clientele includes people from all over the Crossroads and even from San Antonio, Hawes said. “It’s been great. The public and region has been very receptive of us,” Hawes said. COFFEE AND A PASTRY For more than 15 years, Main Street Kaffee Haus and Deli has helped Cuero residents and downtown visitors begin their day with a hot — or cold, depending on the weather — cup of coffee. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee will wake up the senses, but the enticing scent of carrot muffins will give pause to the casual cafe stroller. “We’re like mom’s kitchen — we like to make what you need,” said co-owner Annette Rath. Main Street Kaffee House and Deli offers a variety of coffee, including expressos, Americanos, cappuccinos, lattes and mochas. The cafe also offers the coffee menu in cold form and other frozen coffee drinks such as frozen cappuccinos. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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DEWITT And if coffee isn’t your caffeine of choice, the cafe also sells soft drinks. The cafe has breakfast, which includes a variety of smoothies, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches such as the trendy avocado toast. The menu also includes, soups, salads, sandwiches and daily specials. The most popular choice is the jailbird specialty sandwich, which is a panini-pressed sandwich with chicken, jalapeño cheese, bacon and a special

 IF YOU GO MAIN STREET KAFFEE HAUS AND DELI Amber Aldaco/aaldaco@vicad.com

Main Street Kaffee Haus and Deli has been in business for more than 15 years. In addition to serving a variety of coffee, the cafe also has breakfast and lunch menus.

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DISCOVER 2018

104 E. Main St. 361-275-6890

HOURS \\ 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. weekdays, 9 am. - 3 p.m. Saturday

sauce, Rath said, Pastries from the Cuero Pecan House are also on hand for those looking to pair their coffee or meal with a sweet side. Gluten-free pastries are now available for those with gluten sensitivity. “I think what’s unique about the Kaffee Haus is that you can come in and we specialize to what you want,” Rath said. Visitors can also enjoy a mural by artist Rafael Acosta Jr., which features racing turkeys Ruby Begonia and Paycheck. Rath’s husband and co-owner, Erwin, had the mural commissioned as a gift to Annette, she said. “You can find the icons of Cuero in that mural,” Rath said.

DEWITT

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

The Rev. Tim W. Muehlbrad talks about the history of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Yorktown. The church was built in 1930.

LUTHERAN CHURCH BRINGS HISTORIC BEAUTY TO YORKTOWN BY AMBER ALDACO aaldaco@vicad.com

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Stained glass windows line the walls at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Yorktown. Many of the windows are dedicated to original church members, many whom were German immigrants. 72

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DISCOVER 2018

YORKTOWN — More than 80 years ago, the parishioners of St. Paul Lutheran Church stood where the current parking lot is located and looked at the church they had built using handmade tools. Though the congregation was founded in 1872, the church was built in 1930 and has held onto its charm against time. “It’s amazing to me the structure in here because there’s very few cracks or foundation shifts, and it was built during the Depression. So, resources were very limited, but the church was very solidly built,” said the Rev. Tim W. Muehlbrad. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the second church

to be established in the town, remains filled with old beauty for churchgoers of all ages. Brick on the outside and wood on the inside, the church can fit 425 people in the main area, balcony and side annex. The annex was used as a multipurpose area and for Sunday school, Muehlbrad said. The church’s structure is similar to other churches of the same era, which is built in wood for a smaller congregation. Carpet covers the church floor, but there are plans to strip the carpet and expose the hard wood floors underneath, Muehlbrad said. With the exception of the carpet and a few coats of fresh paint, the worship area of the church has stayed the same.

DEWITT

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

St. Paul Lutheran Church in Yorktown can seat 425 people. “The church has been left untouched for the most part — almost no remodeling has been done,” Muehlbrad said, pointing to several antique-looking fans along the church walls. The basement, which is used for Sunday school, worship and church activities, was remodeled several years ago. There are plans to create a small church museum downstairs as well. The church walls are also lined with detailed stained glass windows depicting Christ in numerous situations. Some of the windows are dedicated to members of the original parish, many of whom were German immigrants. “The beauty of the church makes it unique ... The stained glass windows with the wooden structure really set it off,” Muehlbrad said. In addition to physical beauty, the church offers various types of music during worship. Once a month, guitarists and flutists will perform for service; a chime choir; and a children’s bell

choir and recorder choir. The church also has a baby grand piano for worship and services on the second weekend of the month. On the more traditional side, the pipe organ is played on the first and third weekend of the month and for festivals. Beverly Bruns, the organist for the church, has been playing the pipe organ at St. Paul for nine years. Though several of the pipes have been added to the instrument, the organ is an original part of the church when it was built in 1930, she said. It is also the only pipe organ in Yorktown, she said. “The church has been very diligent about keeping the organ operational,” Bruns said. What makes the pipe organ so special, she said, is that it is about 500 years old, and the music she enjoys performing for audiences is just as historic. “The fact that you are able to create so many different combinations of sounds on the organ is unique,” Bruns said.

 IF YOU GO ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH 234 N. Gohmert St. Yorktown

WORSHIP TIMES 6 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. Sunday; 10:15 a.m. Sunday School PASTOR The Rev. Tim Muehlbrad

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DEWITT

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Players in the World Series of Cuero poker fundraiser fill the first floor of The Venue in Cuero.

THE VENUE IS A TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS STYLE GRACE

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

The Venue in Cuero once housed a furniture store. BY AMBER ALDACO aaldaco@vicad.com

CUERO — When Meghan Williams was planning her wedding, she knew she was going to need a place big enough for all her guests. The Victoria resident had 74

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DISCOVER 2018

attended several weddings in other venues, but she knew The Venue on Church Street was the one when she saw it. “I knew I needed the place to be close, and I also wanted something unique,” Williams, 28, said. “The inside of The

Venue ... you don’t even really need to decorate it much. It has its own charm.” The Venue on Church Street opened in December 2010, but before the building served as a popular reception venue, it housed a furniture

store, said Amy Thigpen, manager at The Venue. The Venue is owned by Kenneth and Jacque Schumacher and Mike and Kim Weaver. Part of what makes The Venue unique is the neutral, versatile and elegant feel, said Thigpen. With a French door entrance, wrought-iron fence, exposed brick and hardwood floors, The Venue can be decorated pretty much any way the clients would like, she said. “Pretty much any way you decorate The Venue, it will look good,” Thigpen said. “It can be rustic, it can be elegant — the space is very versatile.” The Venue is available for small receptions and parties and large weddings and events. The two-story, 11,000-square-foot building has a 765 guest capacity.

DEWITT For weddings, The Venue offers a bridal suite, a groom’s retreat area and an outdoor courtyard.

“We have the flexibility to have an indoor or outdoor ceremony,” Thigpen said. The Venue also has a bar

You don’t need to go anywhere Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com else for quality Attendees eat lunch during an event in the upper floor health care. loft area of The Venue in Cuero. You don’t need to go anywhere else for quality health care.

area, cherry chiavari chairs for up to 500 guests, a stage to accommodate a band or a DJ and a large dance floor. Williams decorated the facility by hanging large, white linen drapes from the ceiling, and decorated the tables with burgundy, champagne, blush and rose gold decorations, which played in harmony with the vintage-style building, she said. She married her husband, Matt Williams, on Nov. 11, 2017, and celebrated the day with 225 guests at The Venue. “It was really beautiful inside. You really don’t need to

 IF YOU GO THE VENUE

To reserve The Venue, call 361-243-1015 or go to thevenueonchurchstreet.com

decorate the building much,” Williams said. “I loved the way it looked.” The Venue hosts between 50 and 60 events a year, and 95 percent of the bookings are people from outside Cuero, Thigpen said. “It’s great to be able to have people come in from out of town because then they’re staying in hotels in Cuero and shopping in our shops and eating in our restaurants,” Thigpen said. In addition to weddings, The Venue can host fundraisers, birthday parties, quinceñeras, baby showers and company parties. The Venue also offers flexibility with budgets, vendors and caterers, Thigpen said. “We have planning down to a science and are here to help with the event,” she said.

tma hris ON Grand

Friday & Saturday

30 2018 November & December 1

Contests  Free Live Music  Lighted Parade

CUERO REGIONAL HOSPITAL We’re right here. For you.

We’re right here. For you.

We’re not just a hospital any more. We’re part of the new Cuero Health family, providing our area communities with easy access to emergency care, a Child We’re not just a hospital more. We’re part of theLevel newIV trauma Birth Center, nuclear medicine,any a highly trained medical staff, care, the means to get healthy and fit, and much more.

Please check us out on Facebook or visit our website for more up to date details.

Cuero Health family, providing our area communities with

Cuero Health—all of the quality health care services you need—close to home.

easy access to emergency care, a Child Birth Center, nuclear www.cuerohospital.org • 361-275-6191 medicine, a highlyREGIONAL trained medical staff, Level IV trauma care, CUERO HOSPITAL the means to get healthy and fit, and much more.

We’re right here. For you.

www.yoakumareachamber.com VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS DISCOVER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES VICTORIA COUNTY

DEWITT COUNTY

University of Houston-Victoria 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. Freshman-senior with select master’s degree programs. Specialties: Arts and sciences, business administration, education and human development, nursing 361-570-4848 uhv.edu

Victoria College Vocational Nursing-Cuero 2550 N. Esplanade St. Vocational nursing program victoriacollege.edu/ vocationalnursingcuero 361-277-6760

Victoria College 2200 E. Red River St. Pre-college programs, freshmen and sophomores Specialties: Transfer programs, associate degrees, workforce training, continuing education 361-573-3291 victoriacollege.edu Emerging Technology Complex 7403 Lone Tree Road 361-580-3700 Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts 214 N. Main St., Victoria 361-582-2436 Liberty Street Industrial Training Center 1404 N. Liberty St., Victoria 361-573-3291 Gonzales Center 424 E. Sarah DeWitt Drive Gonzales 830-672-6251

BEE COUNTY

LAVACA COUNTY Victoria College Zelda L. Allen School of Nursing 1410 N. Texana St., Hallettsville Vocational nursing program 361-798-2289

NUECES COUNTY Coastal Bend College – Kingsville 1814 S. Brahma Blvd., Kingsville 866-262-1615 coastalbend.edu Del Mar College 101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi Offers Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees in more than 50 majors. 361-698-1200 delmar.edu

Saint Leo University Ingleside 10461 D St., Corpus Christi 361-937-1452 uts.saintleo.edu Southern Careers Institute Corpus Christi Campus 2422 Airline Road, Corpus Christi College and vocational school 844-783-6569 scitexas.edu Texas A&M University Corpus Christi 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi Offers more than 60 degree programs. 361-825-5700 tamucc.edu

University of Texas Marine Science Institute 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in marine sciences. 361-749-6711 utmsi.utexas.edu

WHARTON COUNTY Wharton County Junior College 911 Boling Highway, Wharton Two-year college which also has campuses in Richmond, Sugar Land and Bay City. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 979-532-4560 wcjc.edu

Texas A&M University Kingsville 700 University Blvd., Kingsville Offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as research opportunities. 361-593-2111 tamuk.edu

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University D Street, Building 1731, Rooms 211 & 215, Corpus Christi Offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as undergraduate certifications. 361-937-4951 worldwide.erau.edu/locations/ corpus-christi/

Coastal Bend College 3800 Charco Road, Beeville Offer under graduate classes, associate degrees, certificates, vocational training. Has its main campus in Beeville, and operates branch campuses in Alice, Kingsville and Pleasanton. 361-358-2838 coastalbend.edu

CALHOUN COUNTY Victoria College - Wilkins Industrial Training Center 701 S. Ann St., Port Lavaca 361-573-3291 Offers workforce and continuing education training 76

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DISCOVER 2018

301 W Grand Ave • Yoakum, TX 77995 • 361.293.5225

LISTS DISCOVER FESTIVALS VICTORIA COUNTY Throughout the year Victoria Symphony Master Series Victoria Fine Arts Center 1002 E. Sam Houston Drive visitvictoriatexas.com October Bootfest Oct. 6-7 Downtown Victoria bootfest.org South Texas Farm and Ranch Show Oct. 25-26 Victoria Community Center 2905 E. North St. southtexasfarmandranchshow.com Zoo Boo Oct. 21 Texas Zoo 110 Memorial Drive texaszoo.org Haunted Zoo Oct. 27-29 Texas Zoo 110 Memorial Drive texaszoo.org November Dia de los Muertos Festival Oct. 5-Nov. 5 DeLeon Plaza and The Nave Museum 306 W. Commercial St. navemuseum.com Victoria Main Street Market Days Nov. 18 Downtown Victoria victoriamainstreet.org December Conspirare Christmas Dec. 1 First United Methodist Church 407 N. Bridge St. conspirare.org Christmas in Victoria Christmas on the Square First Friday of December DeLeon Plaza Lighted Christmas Parade First Saturday in December DeLeon Plaza March Annual Victoria Livestock Show March 2-5 Victoria Community Center, 2905 E. North St. victorialivestockshow.com Annual Quilt Guild of Greater Victoria Quilt Show March 31-April 1 quiltguildvictoria.org

April

November

July

Victoria Texas Independent Film Festival April 5-8 Downtown Victoria vtxiff.com Polo at McFaddin Ranch April 7 McFaddin Ranch Fiesta de Victoria DeLeon Plaza lacamaravictoria.com JAMfest Downtown Victoria April 21 jamfestvictoria.com Victoria Historic Homes Tour Downtown Victoria historicvictoriatexas.com Annual Art Car Parade Downtown Victoria Third weekend in April fivepointsmuseum.com

Rockport Film Festival Nov. 2-4 rockportfilmfestival.com

49th Annual Rockport Art Festival July 4 weekend Rockport Center for the Arts 361-729-5519

May Noche en Old Victoria Downtown Victoria Memorial Day Weekend Bash May 25-27 Riverside Park Warrior’s Weekend Third weekend in May warriorsweekendtx.wordpress.com June 43rd Anniversary Victoria Bach Festival June 5-9 Various venues victoriabachfestival.org

ARANSAS COUNTY Monthly Art Walk Downtown Aransas Pass First Saturday of the month Rialto Theater 361-758-0383 Veteran’s Market Day First Saturday of the month VFW Hall 361-658-7283 Weekly Tapas Tuesday Every Tuesday Rialto Theater 361-758-0383 October Rockport-Fulton Annual Shopping Tournament Oct. 6-7 shoprockportfulton.com Rockport-Fulton Seafair Oct. 12-15 rocktport-fulton.org Lamar Market Days Oct. 30-31 lamarvfd.com

December Tropical Christmas Dec. 2 members.rockport-fulton.org Christmas Tour of Historic Homes Dec. 2-3 members.rockport-fulton.org Christmas in Fulton Dec. 13-14 members.rockport-fulton.org Holiday Symphony by the Sea 2-4 p.m. Dec. 10 Martha Luigi Auditorium at Rockport-Fulton High School Complex acedfoundation.org Caroling at the Mansion Dec. 10 Fulton Mansion Lighted Boat Parade Dec. 9 Little Bay members.rockport-fulton.org 361-729-3115 February Bountiful Bowl Pottery Fair Feb. 4-5 Rockport-Fulton High School bountifulbowl.org Clay Expo Feb. 4-5 LaMardi Gras Feb. 10-11 lamardigras.com Fulton Oysterfest Feb. 28-March 4 fultonoysterfest.org March 30th Annual Whooping Crane Strut March 10 Beach Park cityofrockport.com April Tour of Homes/Boats rockportartcenter.com May 22nd Annual Rockport Festival of Wines May 26-27 Texas Maritime Museum 361-729-1271 June

September Warrior’s Weekend Heroes Cup Sept. 6-8 wariorsweekend.org HummerBird Celebration Sept. 14-17 rockport-fulton.org

BEE COUNTY October Western Week Oct. 18-22; parade 10:30-11 a.m. Oct. 21 westernweek.org/ Holly Jolly Christmas Celebration and Lighted Parade Dec. 9 Bee County Junior Livestock and Homemakers Show Jan. 29-Feb. 3 Bee County Expo Center 2134 FM 351

CALHOUN COUNTY October Calhoun County Fair Business Expo Oct. 17 Anniston City Meeting Center calhounchamber.com Calhoun County Fair Oct. 17-21 Port Lavaca calcofair.com November Consignment Auction Calhoun County Fairgrounds 361-552-2959 December Festival of Lights First week of December Downtown Port Lavaca Contact the Chamber of Commerce at 361-552-2959 Lighted Boat Parade First Saturday in December Intracoastal Waterway in Port O’Connor Contact the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce at 361-983-2898

3rd Annual LAC Attack C.P.R. Kayak Fishing Tournament June 2

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS April

February

May

July

Go Texan Cookoff KC Hall, Port Lavaca Port Lavaca Market Days First Saturday every other month April-December Bauer Community Center parking lot, 2300 SH 35, Port Lavaca Vendors welcome, call 361-552-2959

Yorktown Market Days First Saturday of February, May, August, November Yorktown City Park yorktowntx.com Yorktown FFA Livestock Show Feb. 16-17 Yorktown High School Agriculture Building Cuero Livestock Show Feb. 28-March 2 Cuero Municipal Park

Cinco de Mayo celebration Weekend nearest May 5 Goliad County Fairgrounds, 1 mile south on U.S. 183/77 goliadcc.org Spring and Fall Flotillas Canoe Trail flotillas Mid-spring and first Saturday in November Begins on the north side of the U.S. 59/San Antonio River bridge. Ends at Goliad State Park. canoetrailgoliad.com

Half-Moon Holidays Fourth of July weekend Green-Dickson Municipal Park, Shiner shinerhalfmoon.com Town and Country Jamboree Last weekend in July Moulton City Park, Moulton moultontexas.com

June Shrimpfest Second weekend in June Seadrift’s bayfront along Bay Avenue

April

JACKSON COUNTY

Open Youth Rodeo First weekend in August Calhoun County Arena, Port Lavaca

Shop the Block April 7 Cuero Main St. Wildflower Month Celebration Cuero and DeWitt counties cuero.org Nordheim Market Days April 21 Corner of Broadway and Second streets 361-938-7208

September

June

Annual Flip Flop Festival and BBQ By the Bay Labor Day Weekend Bayfront Peninsula Park, Port Lavaca flipflopfest.com

Yoakum Tom Tom Festival June 2 Yoakum Park yoakumareachamber.com

DEWITT COUNTY

Fourth of July Family Fun Carnival Cuero Municipal Park Pavilion cuero.org

February

GOLIAD COUNTY

April

July Poco Bueno Fishing Tournament Third week of July Port O’Connor By invitation only August

October Cuero Turkeyfest Oct. 13-15 Cuero Municipal Park, parade and turkey race downtown turkeyfest.org Yorktown Western Days Oct. 20-22 Downtown Yorktown yorktowntx.com November Garfield Fall Flea Market Nov. 5 yorktowntx.com Majestic Lights Over Coleto Creek Nov. 25 yorktowntx.com Christmas in the Park Monday before ThanksgivingJan. 2 Cuero Municipal Park cuerochristmasinthepark.org December Annual Christmas Craft Fair Dec. 3 Yorktown Community Hall yorktowntx.com Christmas in Downtown Dec. 8-9 Downtown Cuero cueromainstreet.com

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DISCOVER 2017

July

Monthly Market Days Second Saturday of every month Courthouse square goliadcc.org October Annual Missions Tour de Goliad Bicycle Ride Oct. 21 North side of Courthouse Square goliadcc.org December Christmas in Goliad Dec. 1-2 Courthouse Square goliadcc.org March Goliad County Fair and Rodeo March 17-18 goliadcc.org Goliad Massacre and Living History Program March 24-25 Presidio La Bahia 217 Loop 71 Goliad Goliad Massacre re-enactment presidiolabahia.org

October Jackson County Youth Fair Parade, Oct. 7; Fair activities, Oct. 11-14 284 Brackenridge Parkway, Edna jcyf.org Best of Texas Big Buck & Big Hog Contest October-February jacksoncountytexas.com November Texana Chili Spill Nov. 10-12 Brackenridge Recreation Complex Main Event Center brackenridgepark.com Best of Texas Awards Banquet Feb. 3 jacksoncountytexas.com Pro-Am Golf Tournament jacksoncountytexas.com

LAVACA COUNTY November Shiner Junior Livestock Show Nov. 18 Green-Dickson Park Hallettsville Festival of Lights Nov. 25-Jan. 6 Lavaca County Courthouse Square, Hallettsville hallettsville.com March Shiner FFA Livestock Show March 2 Green-Dickson Park South Texas Sausage and Polka Fest Fourth Weekend in March Knights of Columbus Hall, Hallettsville kchall.com April Fiddlers’ Frolics Fourth weekend in April Knights of Columbus Hall, Hallettsville fiddlersfrolics.com Fit As A Fiddle 5K Run/Walk Fourth Saturday in April Lavaca County Courthouse Square hallettsville.com

September Hallettsville Kolache Fest Last Saturday in September Knights of Columbus Hall, Hallettsville hallettsville.com

NUECES COUNTY September Bayfest Late September October Coastal Bend Heart Walk Oct. 7 Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi heart.org February Whooping Crane Festival Last full week in February 403 W. Cotter Ave., Port Aransas whoopingcranefestival.org April Buccaneer Days Rodeo April 26-29 Corpus Christi bucdays.com May Buccaneer Days Festival and Parades May 3-13 Corpus Christi bucdays.com

REFUGIO COUNTY Monthly Refugio Country Opry First Thursday in each month Refugio County Expo Center 245 Fairgrounds Road, Refugio refugiocountytx.org March Refugio County Fair Parade/ Fair and Rodeo Third weekend in March Refugio Fairgrounds, Fairgrounds Road refugiocountytx.org October First United Methodist Church Bazaar Second Saturday in October. 310 Power St., Refugio Our Lady of Refuge Church Festival Last Sunday in October 1008 S. Alamo St., Refugio

LISTS November

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

November

Christmas on the Square Last Saturday in November Woodsboro Square, 121 Wood Ave.

Monthly Pancake Breakfast First Saturday of every month McCampbell-Porter Airport, Aransas Pass texasbob.com

October

Wharton Chamber Christmas Parade Nov. 21 Monterey Square downtown, Wharton

July Austwell Golf Cart Parade First Saturday before July 4 Wilson Heard Park, Mernitz Street refugiocountytx.org September St. James Catholic Church Festival First Sunday of September 202 E. Santiago St., Refugio

September Ingleside Beer and Wine Festival Sept. 16 sanpatricioedc.com June 70th Annual Shrimporee First weekend in June Johnson Community Park, Aransas Pass aransaspass.org

El Campo Prairie Days Festival Oct. 7 Alamo Park elcampoprairiedays.com El Campo Museum Color Run Oct. 7 Alamo Park elcampomuseum.org Monterey Square Wine-Arts Fair Oct. 14 Monterey Square, Wharton montereysquarewinefair.com Annual Wharton Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament Oct. 28 Wharton County Club

December El Campo Christmas Mall Dec. 2 April Wharton County Youth Fair & Rodeo April 21-28 Crescent Fairgrounds whartoncountyyouthfair.org

DISCOVER GOLF COURSES VICTORIA COUNTY

CALHOUN COUNTY

NUECES COUNTY

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY

The Club at Colony Creek 301 Colony Creek Drive, Victoria 361-576-0020, 361-576-0018 Private membership 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily theclubatcolonycreek.com

Hatch Bend Country Club 579 Meadowview Lane, Port Lavaca 361-552-3037 Closed Mondays

Riverside Golf Course 302 McCright Drive, Victoria 361-573-4521 Membership rates apply 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily vpiariversidegolf.com Victoria Country Club 14 Spring Creek Road, Victoria 361-573-3712 Private membership April-October: 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday November-March: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday victoriacc.com

Cuero Municipal Golf Course 110 Leonard Roy Harmon Drive, Cuero 361-275-3233 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (summer hours); closed Mondays; closed on city holidays Yorktown Country Club 471 Country Club Lane, Yorktown 361-564-9191 Closed Mondays, call ahead for hours Yoakum City Golf Course 703 S. Park Road, Yoakum 361-293-5682 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday

Palmilla Beach Golf Club 258 Snapdragon, Port Aransas 361-749-4653 6:30 a.m.-dusk NorthShore Country Club 801 E. Broadway Blvd., Portland 361-643-1546 Monday closed, 7 a.m.-dusk Tuesday-Sunday northshoretx.com

Sinton Municipal Golf Course 13698 Rob and Bessie Park Circle, Sinton 361-364-9013 Tuesday closed; 7 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Monday Live Oak Country Club 318 Country Club Road Closed Monday; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

River Hills Country Club 4225 River Hill Drive, Corpus Christi Closed Monday, course is open to the public between 7-11 a.m. and after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, and 7-10 a.m. and after 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays riverhills-golf.com Lozano Golf Center 4401 Old Brownsville Road, Corpus Christi 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m Monday-Sunday lozanogolfcenter.com Corpus Christi Country Club 6300 Everhart Road, Corpus Christi 361-991-2811 Sunday closed; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Oso Beach Municipal Golf Course 5601 S. Almeda St., Corpus Christi 361-826-8010 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday osobeachgolf.com

WHARTON COUNTY

ARANSAS COUNTY

DEWITT COUNTY

GOLIAD COUNTY

Rockport Country Club 101 Champions Drive, Rockport 361-729-8324 Closed Mondays rockportcountryclub.net

Goliad County Golf Course 1103 W. Fannin St., Goliad 361-645-8322 Open Mondays at 3 p.m.; TuesdayThursday open until 10 a.m.; open at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sunday

BEE COUNTY

JACKSON COUNTY

John C. Beasley Municipal Golf Course Veteran Memorial Park, Beeville 361-362-7618 Public course, 9 holes Closed Tuesdays Beeville Country Club U.S. 181, Beeville 361-358-2136 9 holes Private club

Edna Country Club 1216 County Road 301, Edna 361-782-3010 Public golf course

LAVACA COUNTY Hallettsville Golf Course 808 A Park Road, Hallettsville 361-798-9908 Closed Mondays; open until 6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

REFUGIO COUNTY

El Campo Country Club 1788 County Road 351, El Campo 979-543-6592 Private membership but allows reciprocal charges with other clubs pending arrangements with club manager Call ahead for hours. elcampocountryclub.com New Gulf Golf Club 131 Ave. J, New Gulf 979-657-4639 Call ahead for hours newgulfgolfclub.com Wharton Country Club 126 Country Club Drive, Wharton 979-532-5940, email whartoncountryclub@att.net Course is open to the public Tuesdays and Saturdays, green fees: $25 for 18 holes, $12.50 for nine holes, various types of memberships offered. whartoncountryclub.com

Refugio County Country Club 171 Exxon Road, Refugio 361-526-5554

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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GOLIAD SQUARE IS A CHARMING SOUTH TEXAS TREASURE  BRANCH RIVER PARK OFFERS QUIET, NATURAL GETAWAY  GOLIAD STATE PARK HIGHLIGHTS HISTORY, NATURAL BEAUTY

GOLIAD COUNTY

A look at the Southwestern-themed shelves of the Square Gallery in Goliad.

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Goliad Market Days

DEC-MAR

Sep. 8 - Downtown Goliad

Christmas in Goliad

Sept. 29 - Mustang Cantina

Christmas Tree Project

Oct. 13 - Downtown Goliad

Christmas Concert

Oct. 20 - Contact Goliad CC

Goliad Market Days

Oct. 27 - Downtown Goliad

Goliad Market Days

Nov. 3 - Goliad Fairgrounds

Goliad Market Days

Nov. 3

Goliad Market Days

Nov. 9-10 - Goliad State Park

Goliad Fair & Rodeo

Nov. 10 - Downtown Goliad

Goliad Reenactment

Fall Downtown Style Show Goliad Market Days

Missions Tour de Goliad Scare on the Square

Touring Pro PBR Rodeo Fall Flotilla Rio! Rio! Goliad Market Days Shop Small

Nov. 24 - Downtown Goliad

Nov. 30-Dec. 1 - Downtown Goliad Dec. 1-10 - Downtown Goliad Dec. 1 - Goliad State Park

Dec. 8 - Downtown Goliad Jan. 12 - Downtown Goliad Feb. 9 - Downtown Goliad

Mar. 9 - Downtown Goliad Mar. 13-17 -Goliad Fairgrounds Mar. 30-31 - Presidio La Bahia

APR-JUL

Goliad Market Days Apr. 13 - Downtown Goliad

Easter Egg Hunt

Apr. 20 - Downtown Goliad

Spring Downtown Style Show Coming Soon

Spring Flotilla Apr. 27

Illumination/ Mission Espiritu Santo Apr. - Contact Goliad State Park

Cinco de Mayo Celebration May 3-5 Goliad Fair Grounds

Goliad Market Days

May 11 - Downtown Goliad

Goliad Market Days Jun. 8 - Downtown Goliad

Hometown Freedom Festival Jul. 4 - Downtown Goliad

Goliad Market Days Jul. 13 - Downtown Goliad

Goliad Main Street 152 West. End St. Connected 361-645-3454

Aug. 11 - Downtown Goliad

Stay

Goliad Market Days

Goliad Chamber of Commerce 231 S. Market St. 361-645-3454

AUG-NOV

GOLIAD

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

A look at the Southwestern-themed shelves of the Square Gallery in Goliad.

GOLIAD SQUARE IS A CHARMING SOUTH TEXAS TREASURE Warzecha, who added visitors A quick glance inside square, her loft is filled with routinely wander into her Warzecha’s painstakingly enigmatic curios and eclectic GOLIAD — From her home thinking the space is a decorated apartment reveals attractions. “This has been just such a apartment balcony overlook- museum or tourist attraction. why. Like Goliad’s downtown ing the downtown square, Suzi Warzecha, 70, admits she can’t help but brag to visitors about Goliad and all its charm. “Goliad is setting the standard for small towns because they have people living on the square,” said Warzecha, who has lived on and off at the walk-up loft apartment for almost three decades. “It’s been wonderful.” Located across from the main entrance to the historic county courthouse and above a host of boutiques and restaurants, Warzecha’s loft has played host to curious visitors from outside Goliad and even Texas. Chatting with those visitors and introducing them to Goliad is one Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com of her favorite pastimes, said Suzi Warzecha lives in a loft apartment on Goliad Square. BY JON WILCOX jwilcox@vicad.com

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DISCOVER 2018

GOLIAD  IF YOU GO GOLIAD SQUARE

127 N. Courthouse Square, Goliad For more information, call the Goliad Chamber of Commerce at 361-645-3563 or visit goliadcc.org.

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Suzi Warzecha caresses a piece made by a blind local artist as a thesis project. She said it is one of the most beautiful pieces of art she owns. fun, fun place,” she said. Boston couple Margaret, 63, and Chuck Aversa, 72, said they were amazed at just how fun the tiny town of about 2,000 residents proved to be. “It’s beautiful,” said Margaret Aversa. “I love it.” “I love the old buildings,” her husband said. After enjoying morning coffee, cinnamon rolls and macadamia nut cookies at Mattie’s Bakery and Cafe, which lies on the south side of the square at 131 S. Courthouse Square, the Aversas strolled around the square, taking in its architecture and atmosphere. While Warzecha also had praise for Mattie’s, she said the square is filled with good eats and drinks. “I like them all,” she said. At Rudy’s on the Run, a restaurant at 122 N. Courthouse Square, Warzecha said she so routinely enjoys a breakfast of tortillas,

grilled meat, onions, tomatoes and cheese that she’s jokingly requested the dish be named “Suzita’s breakfast” in her honor. For lunch, she said, visitors cannot go wrong by visiting the Blue Quail Deli, 224 S. Commercial St., and trying the locally famous jalapeño cheddar soup − a closely guarded recipe. “It’s the best,” she said. “The yacht club in Corpus Christi has tried to copy it, but they’ve never quite got it right.” Their hunger sated, the Aversas said they planned to visit the nearby Presidio la Bahia, an 18th Century Spanish fort and one of numerous historical attractions in the county. “We’ve been to the Alamo before, but we’ve never to Goliad, which we think is more famous,” said Margaret Aversa. But Goliad’s square is also host to more contemporary

attractions, including a colossal open-air crafts festival that falls on the second Saturday of every month known as “Market Days.” On other weekends, visitors are welcome to peruse a variety of shops, galleries and boutiques along the square where antiques, crafts and unique artworks are for sale.

One such location, Square Gallery, 123 S. Courthouse Square, boasts countless unique items from costume jewelry to handmade maracas Día de los Muertos to a faux robot fashioned from everyday objects to original paintings by South Texas artists. “We have everything,” said co-owner Gaye Urban. While Keli Miller, a Goliad County native and director of the Goliad Main Street Program, said the square is a South Texas gem, it also boasts an equally rewarding and far more personable treasure. “The people are amazing,” she said. “That’s honestly one of my favorite things to do — go and visit the different stores and restaurants and talk to the owners ... I love catching up with them.”

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

The view of the den at Suzi Warzecha’s loft apartment on Goliad Square. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM



GOLIAD

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

The Goliad County Courthouse is visible from Branch River Park.

BRANCH RIVER PARK OFFERS QUIET, NATURAL GETAWAY BY JON WILCOX jwilcox@vicad.com

GOLIAD — The idyllic 4.2-acre Branch River Park offers soft grass, fresh air and ample opportunity for relaxation. “It’s nice green space,” said Park Program Coordinator Michael Gramley, of the San Antonio River Authority. With the historic Goliad County Courthouse looming on the horizon, the Branch River Park is one of the area’s most pleasant and tuckedaway secrets, Gramley said. Donated by Goliad resident Elizabeth Branch in memory of her husband 84

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David Branch, who loved the San Antonio River - the park offers a peaceful, natural escape for all ages. Despite its serenity, the park has plenty to do, Gramley said. Event programming there includes regularly scheduled yoga classes, kid-friendly fishing clinics and other activities. The park serves as the starting and finishing point for the county’s lauded annual bike race, the Missions Tour De Goliad. “It’s quite a party,” Gramley said. But the park is also host to

quieter attractions. A nine-hole disc golf course winds through the park. A small amphitheater offers the opportunity for outdoor movies and dramas. A well-manicured lawn welcomes visitors to enjoy picnics, strolls, sports games and other, more organized events. And a host of pecan trees offer a tasty distraction come fall, said Gramley, speaking from experience. “I’ve eaten a lot of pecans in my time,” he said, chuckling. The park is also a jumping - off point for nearby natu-

ral wonders, such as a the San Antonio River and Ferry Street river access site. Visitors are welcome to paddle or simply stroll along the river, where abundant native wildlife can be observed. Egrets, herons, ducks and other waterfowl claim the body of water as home, Gramley said. During many days of the year, songbirds fill the quiet space with their cheerful chatter. Foxes, turtles, deer and fish also call that space home. Much of the Angel of Goliad Hike and Bike Trail’s 2.5-

GOLIAD statue, which honors Panchita Alvarez; and Fannin Memorial Monument. “It’s accessible to everyone,” Gramley said. For today’s generation, Gramley said, the river and nearby trail are a refreshing getaway from the digital world − all within walking distance of the Goliad Square and its myriad eats and attractions. “It’s really important to make that connection with nature,” he said.

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Picnic tables, walking paths and a playground are nestled beneath the large trees in Goliad’s Branch River Park.

 IF YOU GO BRANCH RIVER PARK

445 S. Commercial St., Goliad For more information, visit sara-tx.org/branch-river-park/ or call 866-345-7272.

mile stretch along the river. Walkers, cyclists and run- historical sites, including the The trail claims Branch Park ners are free to follow the Goliad State Park and His- HOURS \\ Dawn to dusk daily as a starting point. paved trail to a number of toric Site; Angel of Goliad ADMISSION: Free

Making

TEXAS-SIZED Memories Since 1890

Join us for Lunch Tues-Sat 11am - 3pm

Kitchen open during all public events. We can host weddings, parties & outdoor events.

Visit www.schroederhall.com/happenings for upcoming events 12516 FM 622 Goliad, TX 77963 • www.schroederhall.com

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM



GOLIAD

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Detail of a historic diorama recreating the Spanish settlement at Goliad State Park.

GOLIAD STATE PARK HIGHLIGHTS HISTORY, NATURAL BEAUTY BY JON WILCOX jwilcox@vicad.com

GOLIAD — Nestled within the beautiful and sprawling Goliad State Park lie myriad portals to the past. “It will take you back in time,” said Brenda Justice, superintendent of the Goliad State Park and Historic Site. While the state park lays 86

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DISCOVER 2018

claim to the Mission Espíritu Santo, Mission Rosario and Zaragoza birthplace historic sites, it also offers considerable natural beauty, making the location a truly unique escape. Located on the San Antonio River, the park allows visitors to stay the night at an on-site campground, explore

and learn a little − or a lot − about the centuries of human history in Goliad County. “It’s a very special place. It’s a unique place,” Justice said. “The thing about our park is that it has a little bit of everything.” It’s hard not to notice the Mission Espíritu Santo’s ivory-colored walls and

towering steeple. Built on the ruins of an 18th century Catholic mission that once served as housing for Spanish priests and native families, the structure is a reminder of a long-lost time. Justice said she often feels a sense of awe in contemplating that reminder of the past.

GOLIAD A volunteer historical re-enactor can sometimes be found inside answering questions and offering historical education. And an already established museum complete with staff eager to share their knowledge of the area

allows visitors to understand the history behind the ruins. At the end of the summer, park officials opened a new attraction dubbed the “El Camino Real Visitors Center,” which will offer interpretative panels and

architecture exhibits. That new visitor’s center is featured inside an abandoned cottage once used by the Civilian Conservation Corps, whose workers refurbished the Mission Espíritu Santo in the 1930s.

Unlike historic missions in suburban and urban areas, those featured at the Goliad State Park are surrounded by pristine natural areas. That setting allows visitors to easily imagine what people there centuries ago may have witnessed, Justice said. The air there is mostly untouched by sounds of the modern world and instead is filled with birdsong and the sighing of trees. The park offers not only overnight camping but also hiking, biking and paddling trails. A path along the San Antonio River is drenched in shade and offers a exceptionally peaceful hike, she said. “It’s really gorgeous,” she said.

 IF YOU GO GOLIAD STATE PARK AND HISTORIC SITE

108 Park Road 6, Goliad For more information, call 361-645-3405 or visit tpwd. texas.gov/state-parks/goliad. HOURS \\ 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily COST: Adult admission is $3 per day; children younger than 12 are free. Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Mission Espíritu Santo serves as a reminder of times past.

Your Little Feed Store VictoriaAdvocate.com

YOU TRUST! LOCAL NEWS

CAN

Plano

News Sports People Perspective Business Info Happenings

VICTORIA

VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS DISCOVER YOUTH SPORTS VICTORIA COUNTY Victoria Youth Football League Youth football leaguelineup.com/ victoriayouthfootballleague/ victoriayouthfootballleague@ yahoo.com Southern Swing Volleyball Club Club volleyball K-12 Rising Stars program, leagues, camps, private lessons, open gyms offered 361-210-6876, ssvball@yahoo.com southernswing-volleyball.com YMCA of Victoria Various sports offered 1806 N. Nimitz St. Fall soccer (October), co-ed fall volleyball (October), winter basketball (December), spring soccer (April), co-ed spring volleyball (April) 361-575-0511, contact Amanda Howe: ahowe@ymcavictoria.org ymcavictoria.org Victoria Youth Soccer Organization Youth soccer ages 3-18 Fall and spring leagues 361-574-8976, contact Michelle King: michelle@vyso.org vyso.org Victoria Southeast Little League, Victoria Northeast Little League, Victoria Northwest Little League, Victoria Southwest Little League Youth baseball and softball, divisions: T-ball (Ages n4-5), coach pitch (6-7), senior minor (810), majors (11-12), juniors (13-14) Registration begins in January Southeast Little League: www.leaguelineup.com/sell 361-652-7816 Northeast Little League: eteamz.com/victoriaNELL/ Southwest Little League: www.leaguelineup.com/vswll Northwest Little League: www.leaguelineup.com/vnwll 88

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American Karate Institute Martial arts offered to various age groups Ralph Jaschke, 361-575-2467 Victoria Tennis Association Singles, doubles and mixed doubles offered to various age groups, play day mixer held in April (and other dates) Kathy Williams, 303-618-1983 Crossroads Kings Youth basketball AAU affiliated victoriacrossroadskings@yahoo.com Visit Facebook page for more information Straight Arrow Archery Learning Center Archery for all age groups 60 Storehouse Drive 361-571-6694

ARANSAS COUNTY Rockport-Fulton Little League Youth baseball and softball Visit Facebook page for more information Rockport-Fulton Youth Football League Divisions: freshman (ages 5-6), sophomore (7-8), junior (9-10), senior (11-12) rfyfl@yahoo.com

BEE COUNTY Bee Youth Soccer Organization Includes shirt, short and socks Season ends Nov. 11 For more information, email kaydsw@yahoo.com or call Kay at 361-319-0055 or Shawn at 361362-9763.

CALHOUN COUNTY Calhoun County Little League Youth baseball and softball www.leaguelineup.com/calhoun_ baseball

DEWITT COUNTY Cuero Little League cuerolittleleague.com Youth baseball and softball Registration begins in January 361-243-1304 Yoakum Little League eteamz.com/yoakumlittleleague1/ youth baseball and softball

GOLIAD COUNTY Goliad Little League eteamz.com/ goliadcountylittleleague1/

JACKSON COUNTY Edna Little League Youth baseball and softball ednalittleleague.org/

LAVACA COUNTY Hallettsville Little League Youth baseball and softball eteamz.com/ hallettsvillelittleleague/ hvillelittleleague@gmail.com Shiner Little League Youth baseball and softball Divisions: T-ball, coach pitch, minor, major Registration ends in January shinerlittleleague.com

NUECES COUNTY Adult Softball-Co Ed Division Co-Ed Division League games for men and women will be held ndays. Ch urch Division League games for local church teams will be held Mondays. Men’s Division League games will be held Thursdays. Industrial Division League games for men will be held Thursdays. Register online at ccparkandrec.com C.C. Westside Kickball League 4501 Greenwood Drive Player Fee: $40 ccparkandrec.com Summer Youth Basketball League Boys and Girls ages 6-17 Summer Mini-Dribbler Co-Ed Basketball League Boys and Girls ages 3-5

Summer High School Baseball Tournament Series Games played at Dulak Field, 1901 Paul Jones Ave.; Dick Runyan Field, 3800 Gollihar Road; and local high school ball fields. For more information, call the Athletics Office at 361- 826-3275. Summer High School Volleyball League Eligible: Girls age 14-17, grades 9-12 during current and incoming 2017–18 school year.

REFUGIO COUNTY Refugio Little League Youth baseball and softball eteamz.com/ RefugioLittleLeague/ San Patricio County San Patricio Girls Softball Association Game play will be Sept. 25-Dec. 1. eteamz.com/spgsa/

WHARTON COUNTY El Campo Little League elcampolittleleague.com/site operations@elcampolittleleague.com

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

JACKSON COUNTY

EDNA DOESN’T HAVE STARBUCKS, BUT IT HAS OPTIONS  LAKE TEXANA PROVIDES NATURAL ESCAPE FOR ALL AGES  WITH NEW OWNERS, TEXANA RACEWAY TAKING SHAPE

Cars negotiate a turn at high speed at the Texana Raceway.

JACKSON

By Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

A Delish daily special features baked fried chicken and sweet potato salad.

EDNA DOESN’T HAVE STARBUCKS, BUT IT HAS OPTIONS BY JESSICA PRIEST jpriest@vicad.com

EDNA — A small eatery in downtown Edna can now say it has attracted customers from as far away as Colorado. That’s because Erin Epperson, 36, of Fort Collins, Colo., strolled into Delish at 112 E. Main St. recently. She handed the barista behind the counter her coffee mug and wasn’t disappointed when she later sipped an iced latte with four shots of espresso that the barista prepared for her. Epperson was in the area to remodel her grandmother’s home. With six coffee shops within a mile of where she lives in Colorado, she hadn’t expected to By Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com see a place like Delish in Edna. Delish’s Epic Chocolate “I think it’s great. I’ve over-the-top milkshake. 90

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made business connections at coffee shops as well as lasting relationships. It’s a place to socialize but not in a bar-like atmosphere. Plus, there’s always free WiFi,” she said, smiling. And co-owner Kimberly Muschalek said that’s what she and her husband Bryan wanted to create, especially for young people. During finals last year, Delish offered coffee and other drinks for half price. This is important to Muschalek because as an Edna resident who fled for the big city the first chance she got, she remembers riding her bike downtown and having very little to get into. “We wanted to give back to our community and give back as much as possible,”

Muschalek said. And coffee is not the only thing on the menu. Three months ago, Muschalek hired Monica Woods as a chef. Woods, who worked at the Four Seasons and went to culinary school in Houston, has drawn in customers of all ages with the twists she puts on staple Texas dishes. For example, a recent special was fried chicken with tomato jam and sweet potato salad. “If we had chicken fried steak, it would probably sell out in no time, but ...,” Muschalek said, trailing off. “But if you’re going to be a stereotype, might as well be one that people talk about, right?” Woods said, finishing Muschalek’s thoughts. They get their ingredients

JACKSON from Knopp Branch Farms, so the specials change depending on what’s in season. And Muschalek has poured a lot of her creative energy into those specials plus one other item on the menu — milkshakes. While she makes her living in Austin by preparing healthy food for people to pick-up while at their gym, nowadays people know her for those milkshakes, which they say are “over the top.” For example, the chocolate milkshake she offers was drizzled with fudge, sprinkles and chunks of cake and topped with whipped cream and a cookie. “I don’t know how I got into ice cream. I started out a little healthy and just ran in the whole other direction,” she said, chuckling. Since she got milkshakes,

her husband, a former high school football coach, put pizza on the menu. Both items are the most popular. The two originally moved to Edna to open a wedding venue but fell in love with the location of Delish, which used to house a flower shop. They’re still working on the venue and in the meantime have started to cater events. Carol Ann Lee, a 73-yearold Edna resident whose husband works as a dentist across the street, said as long as Delish is open, she’ll keep coming for lunch at least once a week. She said Muschalek and her daughter attended high school together, and she can’t get enough of the strawberry bacon salad Delish sells. “I think we should support all of our local businesses,” Lee said.

By Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Delish chef Monica Woods chops fresh organic produce.

 OTHER SPOTS ALL ABOUT FLOWERS & GIFTS 102 W. Main St. 361-728-6828

THE PARLOUR 101 E. Main St. 361-781-0052

WESTHOFF’S MERCHANTILE AND THE FINISHING TOUCH 124 E. Houston St. 361-782-2451

DAVIS JEWELRY & GIFTS 112 W. Main St. 361-728-5009

JAZMINE NAILS & SPA 118 W. Main St. 361-308-5118

MICHELLE’S FLOORING & DESIGN CASABLANCA BOUTIQUE & HOME DECOR 205 W. Main St. 361-781-3181

HEAD TO TOE SALON & GIFT BOUTIQUE 208 W. Main St. 361-782-7720 By Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Co-owner of Delish Kimberly Muschalek and Chef Monica Woods pose in the lounge area at the front of the restaurant.

NAGEL’S SERVICE STATION 202 W. Main St. 361-782-2113

SOURCE: Jackson County Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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JACKSON

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmore@vicad.com

The pier at the Texana Park Campground is used for fishing or just watching nature.

LAKE TEXANA PROVIDES NATURAL ESCAPE FOR ALL AGES BY JON WILCOX jwilcox@vicad.com

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmore@vicad.com

Wild deer roam the grounds at Texana Park Campground. 92

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EDNA — When the everyday stresses of modern life become too much, Lake Texana calls. “It’s a place to get away,” said Cammie Pearson, Lavaca-Navidad River Authority recreation manager. Finding recreation and relaxation at Lake Texana and the Brackenridge Recreation Complex comes easy, she said. With boating, swimming, camping, fishing, kayaking, picnicking, hiking and the opportunity to revel in Texas’ natural wonders, the area offers something for ev-

eryone, Pearson said. Located eight miles east of Edna in Jackson County, Lake Texana is a reservoir of the Navidad River. The lake covers about 10,000 acres and has about 125 miles of shoreline. Although the lake is no longer stocked with fish, its waters teem with bass, gar, sunfish, catfish, crappie and freshwater drum, providing plenty of opportunity for fishermen. And around the lake, amenities and activities managed by the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority provide an escape for all ages. Campers are welcome

JACKSON

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmore@vicad.com

A wild armadillo ambles through the Texana Park Campground. to stay overnight at the park’s three-bedroom cabins or in their own tents and RV campers. Miniature golf, volleyball and basketball courts, playgrounds, disc golf, softball fields and a paintball course offer ample exercise. Trails for hiking, biking and horse-riding provide plenty of

means for visitors to get out into nature. After all, when it comes to natural beauty, the lake and surrounding park space are truly remarkable, said Cindy “Ranger Cindy” Baker, outreach coordinator for the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority. “I find it relaxing, especially if you have a hectic job or hectic life,” she said.

With a healthy deer population, it’s not uncommon to practically stumble on fawns in the spring and summer. “We are quite known for having deer,” she said. “There have been times the deer come right up to your face.” Opossums, armadillo, raccoons and skunks scamper past hikers, and red-shouldered hawks, owls, pileated woodpeckers and various waterfowl can be seen − and heard − throughout the park. “It’s a birder’s paradise,” she said. But some of the park’s most notable living attractions include the plants and trees that also grow there. There’s a young live oak known to children as the “spider tree” with thick, curving branches. A truly ancient live oak with a massive

trunk that Baker estimated is at least 300 years old also calls the park home. “It is huge, and it is gorgeous,” she said. Whether visitors come seeking fun or relaxation, the park and its lake are an ideal getaway for just about everyone, Pearson said. “There’s a lot to do or not do,” he said.

 IF YOU GO LAKE TEXANA AND BRACKENRIDGE RECREATION COMPLEX 891 Brackenridge Parkway, Edna For more information, call 361-782-5456 or visit brackenridgepark.com.

COST: Free admission; camping rates start at $30 per day.

Jackson County Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Annual Events:

Chamber Membership Banquet Best of Texas Big Buck and Big Hog Hunting Contest Chamber Golf Tournament Contact us to join today! Memberships available for individuals and businesses

Develop • Grow • Build a Strong Community 317 W Main St. PO Box 788 Edna Tx 77957 Phone: (361)-782-7146 Fax: (361)-782-2811 Website: www.jacksoncountytexas.com VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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JACKSON

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Gabby, 4, and Bradley, 5, play with a dog in the pit area before a race at the Texana Raceway.

WITH NEW OWNERS, TEXANA RACEWAY TAKING SHAPE BY MARCUS GUTIERREZ mgutierrez@vicad.com

EDNA — Roy January has been coming to the Texana Raceway for more than 25 years. The Port Lavaca native has won his fair share of races over the years, but now he just likes the feeling when his car is on the dirt track reaching high speeds. “I’m not here to compete as much as I used to,” said the 55-year-old January, who drives a sports modified car. “I’m more about the fun of racing and getting on the track for the most part. Racing is becoming a dying breed, but it’s nice to come out to the track and race in front of racing fans.” 94

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Rachel and Kenny Densman bought the Texana Raceway in October and opened it in March. The Densmans have made adjustments at the Texana Raceway to bring in crowds on race night. “Everything has been going well since we opened up in March,” Rachel Densman said. “We had some trouble with the rain early, but we were able to get some races in. We have new concession stands and made the switch to debit and credit cards. We Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com have seen improvements on All cars line up for warmup laps around the Texana Racehow things move faster at way before the official races begin. the track, and the customers  REMAINING RACE SCHEDULE are happy.” The most important upOCT. 13 - Final Points Race grade has been taking care of NOV. 3 - Aaron Hudgeons Memorial Race

JACKSON the dirt track. For Kenny, 43, who is a racer, the track is the most important part of the facility to the competitors. “I know that Kenny and Rachel put a lot into the track,” January said. “As a racer, that’s really important to us, and you can tell the difference on the track. It’s a lot smoother, and the pits have more lighting as well. They have done a great job, and more racers have started to come in since they have owned the raceway.” Racers come from as far as Corpus Christi to the south and Wharton to the north. The Densmans also want to give back to the community as well during race nights. “We have a 50/50 raffle on race nights, and we give half the proceeds to a charity or we have a giveaway to give to kids. We want to help the community as well, and I think that’s important,” Rachel said. The Texana Raceway has go-carts, pure stocks, street

stocks, limited/sport modifiers and dwarf/modifiers races for the public. “We added the go-carts to give kids a chance to race,” said the 37-year-old Rachel. “We want everyone to have an opportunity to race, and I think that will bring more kids out to get on the track. We want a family-oriented crowd, and I think that is what we have seen so far.” The Densmans have seen the crowds come out and have seen a thousand people on race nights. They’re looking to make sure that they keep improving the raceway to put more fans in the stands. “We listen to people and their suggestions,” Rachel said. “We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from people, and we want to make sure to make the right improvements. We had to take care of the racers first with the track. Our ears are open, and we’re excited about the future.”

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Kylie Fitch drives toward the track entrance for warmup laps with the other drivers. Visible in the background is the rest of the pit area, where drivers prepare their cars for the evening’s races.

 IF YOU GO TEXANA RACEWAY 258 County Road 412 361-781-0411 texanaraceway.com

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Rebecca, 4, gets help from her sister to apply earplugs to drown out the roar of engines at the Texana Raceway. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM



HALLETTSVILLE DOWNTOWN SQUARE A MAIN ATTRACTION  GASLIGHT THEATRE BRINGS CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT TO RURAL TOWN  THE HERB COTTAGE OFFERS COUNTRY SANCTUARY

LAVACA COUNTY

Cindy Meredith, 70, poses outside her home in Lavaca County, where she operates The Herb Cottage.

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

LAVACA

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

The Cole movie theater is in downtown Hallettsville.

HALLETTSVILLE DOWNTOWN SQUARE A MAIN ATTRACTION By Kathryn Cargo kcargo@vicad.com

HALLETTSVILLE — Art lovers can learn techniques and view local, new and established artists’ work in a historic building in downtown Hallettsville. Mieko Mahi opened Hallett Oak Gallery in 2015, which became a nonprofit in 2016. Visitors can take or teach art classes, see artwork and attend live music and cultural events at the gallery. Mahi said helping others through art is a passion of hers. “We became a nonprofit after realizing we could do more with the community and the schools by being (one),” she said. “It’s always been a dream of mine. It wasn’t planned for it to happen now. I never thought I would run an art gallery.” The gallery is in the historic Kahn and Stanzel Building at 115 N. Main St., which 98

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is more than 120 years old. The structure was built in 1890 and housed a retail hardware and furniture business owned by Joseph Kahn and Joseph Stanzel. In 1999, Betty Edwards, of Houston, who owns the building, began restoring the structure. In 2012, she finished restoration. Each –doorway still has a cast iron threshold stamped “Kahn & Stanzel.” “It took so long because there were 10,000 bats living in the walls and birds,” Mahi said. “She didn’t want any bats harmed, so we had to wait for them to migrate. Dr. Edwards — it’s because of her” the gallery exists. Edwards donated $25,000 toward Hallett Oak Gallery when Mahi opened the business three years ago, Mahi said. She also sponsors the gallery’s Christkindlmarkt, which features

free live German and Czech music the four Saturdays before Christmas. “It’s free because she pays for it. She pays top–notch musicians to come,” Mahi said. Mahi leases the buildingand subleases art studio space to artists who want to teach art, music or dance. She charges based on how

many people attend the class so the artists can afford it. The gallery is free and open to the public every day except for Sunday, and everyone who works at the venue is a volunteer, Mahi said. The gallery is part of Hallet Oak Foundation, which has outreach programs for the

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Sweet Chic Boutique in Hallettsville offers clothing sizes up to 3X.

LAVACA

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Mieko Mahi, 60, executive director at the Hallettsville Hallet Oak Gallery, poses inside the gallery.

 IF YOU GO HALLET OAK GALLERY

115 N. Main St., Hallettsville 361-217-703 halletoakgallery.com HOURS // 10 a.m.-2 p.m. MondayThursday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday

COLE THEATRE

207 E. 2nd St., Hallettsville 361-798-4569 facebook.com/coletheatretx/ SHOWTIMES // 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday

SWEET CHIC BOUTIQUE

Location: 117 E. 2nd St., Hallettsville 361-217-3794

sweetchictx.com HOURS //

9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. TuesdayFriday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

LAVACA COUNTY COURTHOUSE 109 N. La Grange St., Hallettsville 361-798-2301 co.lavaca.tx.us

community. The events have a fee and include a music night, an art and architecture conference and a painting event. The foundation also has free cultural events, including a first day of spring celebration, chalk art with music, a Juneteenth showcase of a black artist, a Halloween party with a haunted tunnel and Christkindlmarkt. “I’ve always wanted to do something to help young people and seniors,” Mahi said. “I wanted to inspire people with the art, and now I am.” Downtown Hallettsville also offers other businesses for the public to visit. COLE THEATRE Cole Theatre first opened in 1926 as a silent theater and had a piano player as the soundtrack. More than 90 years later, the theater now plays top big screen movies. The theater moved to its current location at 207 E. 2nd St. in 1929 from the other side of the downtown Hallettsville square. The theater has a traditional slope floor instead of the regular staged

seating. Although the theater is historical, it has digital monitors and is known for its sound system, said owner Richard Orsak, of Victoria. Orsak’s family bought the theater in 1992. His dad was a projectionist as a young boy and always wanted to own a theater, Orsak said. When theaters went digital, many of them left small towns, he said. “It’s something (residents) really appreciate,” Orsak said. “We brought something back to Hallettsville for people to do. Especially a lot of the older folks that were there when it was operating and it closed down — they realized that they really missed it. When someone came in and redid it, the appreciation is there.” SWEET CHIC BOUTIQUE Janelle Bludau always wanted to open a Starbucks in Hallettsville. While Sweet Chic Boutique isn’t a Starbucks, it is a boutique with a coffee shop. Janelle Bludau, 29, of Houston; her sister, Christine Hill, 31, of Hallettsville; and their mom, Debi Bludau,

54, of Hallettsville, opened the boutique in November 2016. The shop has women’s clothing sized from small to 3X as well as children’s and men’s clothing. The sisters and mom love clothes and enjoy shopping at boutiques. After Hill was laid off from her office job in September 2016, the three women decided to take a shot at starting a business. “We loved this,” Hill said. “We’ve always looked at this building and thought it would be awesome to have something there because we like the balcony at the top.” The family get their coffee beans from Victoria Coffee Roasters. “We love the town, we love the square and we wanted to bring some life and something different to Hallettsville,” Debi Bludau said. LAVACA COUNTY COURTHOUSE The Lavaca County Courthouse was built in 1899 and rededicated in September 2010 after being historically restored. The restoration project included cleaning the outside stone, replacing rotten wood, painting, plumbing and electrical work for a total of $6.2 million. The courthouse interior looks as it did in 1899. The Hallettsville Festival of Lights has lit up the courthouse with hundreds of thousands of lights for more than 20 years during the winter holidays. The festival has been celebrated at the courthouse since 1996. The holiday festival has attracted more than 4,000 people in recent years, which is about double the population of Hallettsville. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LAVACA GASLIGHT THEATRE BRINGS CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT TO RURAL TOWN BY SAMANTHA DOUTY Victoria Advocate

SHINER — The Shiner Gaslight Theatre gave Wyatt Kaiser the outlet he needed to be creative as a kid. “It gave me a sense of community in theater,” the 21-year-old said. The Gaslight Theatre has been a part of the Shiner community as a dinner theater since 1975, but the building dates to the 1800s. It is there that locals participate and experience theater in a rural town. Kaiser, of Yoakum, said the theater helped him realize his passion for the stage and understand the technical aspects behind a show. The University of Texas student began acting at the dinner theater seven years ago and directed the summer production of “Alice in Wonderland” this year. “It’s an amazing theater that gave me my start,” he said. The Gaslight Theatre has three shows a year in the spring, summer and fall. All of the shows come with a meal and entertainment. Theater board member Patti Morales has been a member since the 1980s and enjoys that it is more than just the shows. “I love that it’s a dinner theater,” she said.

 TICKETS Season tickets go on sale in mid-December. SEASON TICKETS // $75 a ticket and include three shows and priority reservation: SHOW TICKETS // $30 a person 100

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She said she first got involved as a costumer when a friend suggested it. She later did almost every aspect of a show such as working backstage, acting and directing. Morales said she was a shy child growing up and theater helped her open up. “It’s been very rewarding,” she said. Like Morales, theater board chairperson Josh Kaspar got her start in the theater after someone suggested it to her. Kaspar married her college sweetheart and moved to Shiner. It was then that her mother-in-law suggested she direct a play. “She finally conned me into directing a play,” she said. After directing and working for the theater for a few years, Kaspar became the chairperson of the board in 1989, she said. In that time, she has directed 20 plays and been a part of about 40. She said it offers a great creative outlet in a small rural community. “They are so much fun,” Kaspar said. The theater’s season opens in January every year. It is by that time that the board and its individual committees announce the next season of shows, almost a year in advance, she said. The board works to keep almost every show famly-friendly while bringing the arts and culture to the small town. “They’ll have a ball,” she said about anyone who comes to the Gaslight Theatre.

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Abe Ascencio plays the Mad Hatter in the Shiner Gaslight Theatre’s summer production of “Alice in Wonderland.”

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LAVACA

Kayla Renie/krenie@vicad.com

Cindy Meredith, 70, poses at her home in Lavaca County. Meredith owns and operates The Herb Cottage, a small, portable gardening business that features dozens of plant species.

THE HERB COTTAGE OFFERS COUNTRY SANCTUARY BY KATHRYN CARGO kcargo@vicad.com

HALLETTSVILLE — Cindy Meredith has about 2,000 plants at her business, The Herb Cottage. Meredith, 70, began her business in 1998 after she learned to propagate plants, or breed plants by natural processes from the parent stock. “Soon I had more plants than I needed, and I decid-

 IF YOU GO THE HERB COTTAGE 442 County Road 233, Hallettsville 979-562-2153, 361-258-1192 or cindy@theherbcottage.com HOURS // Call to make an appointment. MORE INFO // theherbcottage.com

ed to start selling them,” she said. Meredith moved to the country outside Hallettsville in 1987. Before she started The Herb Cottage, she had a sewing business and went to Renaissance festivals across the county. She now takes her plants to markets and festivals throughout the Crossroads. “I like meeting people and talking to people about plants and hearing about their gardens and helping them be better gardeners,” she said. She sells herbs and succulents, which include the aloe vera plant. She also gives educational programs about growing and cooking herbs. “Herbs, you can eat them, and they add a lot of character and flavor to food without adding fat and salt,” she said.

“There’s medicinal properties also, which, really, that is not my field. I’m into the growing and cooking aspect” of them. Meredith works outside in her garden for about 10 hours a week, watering and repotting plants as well as planting seeds for new ones. She has several hundred types of plants. Customers visit from all across the Crossroads and surrounding metropolitan areas. “It’s a beautiful spot in the country. There are fabulous big oak trees, and my gardens are the type of gardens you don’t see very much anymore,” she said. “It’s like an old-fashioned country garden ... I like to let things grow the way nature intended.” Meredith uses natural fertilizer and seaweed products

in her soil. She doesn’t use any chemical pesticides or herbicides. Pests don’t bother her plants much because he plants are healthy, she said. If she does need to get rid of pests, she uses soap or rubbing alcohol. “There are butterflies everywhere and dragonflies and bees and lizards and little garden snakes,” she said. “That’s because I don’t poison anything.” She enjoys setting straight gardening myths and misconceptions that gardening is difficult and can’t be done by everyone, she said. “There are people who promote gardening who have a lot of rules, and it can be rather daunting, so people think they can’t do it,” she said. “Gardening takes some education,” but anyone can do it. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS PUBLIC LIBRARIES VICTORIA COUNTY Victoria Public Library 302 N. Main St. Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. MondayThursday; 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-485-3302; victoriapubliclibrary.org Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library 2602 N. Ben Jordan St. Hours: 7:45 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays; 1-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday during fall, spring semesters 361-570-4166; vcuhvlibrary.uhv.edu

ARANSAS COUNTY Aransas County Public Library 701 E. Mimosa St., Rockport Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-790-0153; acplibrary.org

BEE COUNTY Joe Barnhart Bee County Library 110 W. Corpus Christi St., Beeville Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m.5 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sunday 361-362-4901; answers@bclib.org

CALHOUN COUNTY Calhoun County Library 200 W. Mahan St., Port Lavaca Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; 9 a.m.1 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday Offers, in addition to books, fax, online tutorials, computers, printers, audio books, DVDs and free internet. 361-552-7323; cclibrary.org

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Calhoun County Library Seadrift Branch 502 S. 4th St., Seadrift Hours: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; noon6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday In addition to books, offers fax, computers, printers, copy machine, DVDs, audio books, music CDs, summer reading program, document scanning, free WiFi and community room to reserve for events. 361-785-4241; cclibrary.org Calhoun County Library Point Comfort Branch 1 Lamar St., Suite 1, Point Comfort Hours: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. Tuesday; 10:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. WednesdayThursday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-noon Saturday; closed Sunday Offers, in addition to books, DVDs, audiobooks, IRS forms, library loan service, reading program, computers and free internet. 361-987-2954; cclibrary.org

Carl and Mary Welhausen Library 810 Front St., Yoakum Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays; closed Saturday-Sunday Genealogy research, public access computers, wireless hot spot, monthly story time, summer reading and presentation program, Christmas celebration and open house, Spanish bilingual storytime. 361-293-5001; cityofyoakum.org/Library.html Yorktown Public Library 103 W. Main St., Yorktown Hours: 1-9 p.m. Monday; 1-6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday; closed Saturday-Sunday Public access to computers, faxing/copying services, genealogy research, wireless internet access, Mango Languages online learning tool, eBooks Overdrive and text share databases, learning express library. 361-564-3232; yorktownpubliclibrary.org

GOLIAD COUNTY

Calhoun County Library Port O’Connor Branch 101 S. 6th St. Suite B, Port O’Connor Hours: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 1-6 p.m. Wednesday; noon-5 p.m. Thursday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.; closed Sunday Offers, in addition to books, fax, computers, printers, copy machine, DVDs and audiobooks. 361-983-4365; cclibrary.org

Goliad County Library 320 S. Commercial St., Goliad Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; closed Saturday-Sunday In addition to books, the library offers programs for children, the Goliad Center for Texas History that collects materials that document local history, genealogical materials, wireless internet access, CDs, DVDs, typewriters, summer programs that include Monday movies for ages 6 to 13 and Tuesday activity hour 2-3 p.m. to the end of July. 361-645-2291; co.goliad.tx.us

DEWITT COUNTY

JACKSON COUNTY

Cuero Municipal Library 207 E. Main St., Cuero Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m.-noon Saturday; closed Sunday Public access computers for internet or word processing, genealogy research, wireless access, Mango Languages, World Book Online, summer programs, toddler story time, book sales October to April, inter-library loans, WiFi. 361-275-2864; cityofcuero.com/186/library

Jackson County Memorial Library 411 N. Wells St., Room 121, Edna Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayWednesday; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday; closed Saturday-Sunday Jackson County residents have free access to services, which include books, periodicals, newspapers, microfilms, videocassettes, DVDs, children’s audiocassettes, audio CDs, ebooks, internet and Mother Goose storytime every day. at 1 p.m. 361-782-2162; jcml-tx.org

LAVACA COUNTY Hoffie & Lank Wolters Shiner Public Library 115 E. Wolters and 2nd St., Shiner Hours: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. MondayThursday; 8-11 a.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday Large collection of books, audiovisual materials, local genealogy materials, magazines, newspapers and more. 361-594-3044; shinerpubliclibrary.org Friench Simpson Memorial Library 705 E. Fourth St., Hallettsville Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday; 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-noon Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday Thousands of volumes, historical photo collection and an extensive genealogy department, free WiFi, ebooks, summer reading club and ongoing used book sale. 361-798-3243; hallettsvillelibrary.org

NUECES COUNTY Ben F. McDonald Public Library 4044 Greenwood Dr., Corpus Christi Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. TuesdayWednesday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; closed Sunday 361-826-2356; cclibraries.com Bishop County Library 115 S. Ash Ave., Bishop Hours: 1-6 p.m. MondayThursday; closed Friday-Sunday 361-584-2222; nuecesco.com County Law Library Nueces County Courthouse 901 Leopard St., Corpus Christi Hours: 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; closed Saturday and Sunday 361-888-0343; nuecesco.com

LISTS La Retama Central Library 805 Comanche St., Corpus Christi Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. TuesdayWednesday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday 361-826-7055; cclibraries.com

NUECES COUNTY Keach Family Library 1000 Terry Shamsie Blvd., Robstown Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. MondayThursday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday 361-387-3431; youseemore.com/nueces Owen R. Hopkins Public Library 7 a.m.-8 p.m. MondayWednesday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; closed Sunday 361-826-2350, cclibraries.com Robert J. Kleberg Public Library 220 N. 4th St., Kingsville Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. TuesdayFriday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-592-6381; kleberglibrary.com

REFUGIO COUNTY Dennis M. O’Connor Public Library 815 Commerce St., Refugio Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; closed Saturday and Sunday Summer reading program for those going into first through sixth grades. 361-526-2608; dmopl.com

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY Bell Whittington Public Library 2400 Memorial Parkway, Portland Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. MondayThursday; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-777-0921; portlandtx.com Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library 110 N. Lamont St., Aransas Pass 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday; 8:30 a.m.7 p.m. Wednesday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-758-2350; librarytechnology.org Ingleside Public Library 2775 Waco St., Ingleside Hours: 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. MondayTuesday; 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 8:30 a.m.5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-776-5355; inglesidetx.gov/library

Owen R. Hopkins Public Library 3202 McKinzie Road, Corpus Christi Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 10 a.m.9 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; closed Sunday 361-826-2350; cclibraries.com Sinton Public Library 100 N. Pirate Blvd., Sinton Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 361-364-4545; sinton.ploud.net

East Bernard Public Library 746 Clubside Drive, East Bernard Hours: 1:30-5:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m.6 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m.-noon Saturday; closed Sunday 979-335-6142; whartonco.lib.tx.us Louise Branch Library 803 Third St., Louise Hours: 9-11:30 a.m. and 12:304 p.m. Tuesday; 1-5 p.m. Wednesday; 1-3 p.m. Thursday; closed Friday-Monday 979-648-2018; whartonco.lib.tx.us

Taft Library 27 Cougar Court, Taft Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. TuesdayThursday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday 661-763-3294; taft.ploud.net

WHARTON COUNTY

Mathis Public Library 103 N. Lamar St., Mathis Hours: 2-6 p.m. Monday; 9 a.m.6 p.m. Tuesday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 1-6 p.m. Friday; closed Saturday-Sunday 361-547-6201; cityofmathis.com

Wharton County Library 1920 N. Fulton St., Wharton Hours: 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 9:30 a.m.3 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 979-532-8080; whartonco.lib.tx.us

Odem Public Library 516 Voss Ave., Odem Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Friday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday; closed Saturday-Sunday 361-368-7388; texas.educationbug.org

El Campo Branch Library 200 W. Church St., El Campo Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday 979-543-2362; whartonco.lib.tx.us

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CORPUS CHRISTI ATTRACTION FEATURES FLORA AND FAUNA FUN  TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM GIVES VISITORS UP CLOSE LOOK AT SEA LIFE  WINTON’S ISLAND CANDY STILL SWEET AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY

NUECES COUNTY

Children play in the splash pad at Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi.

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

NUECES CORPUS CHRISTI ATTRACTION FEATURES FLORA AND FAUNA FUN BY LAURA GARCIA lgarcia@vicad.com

CORPUS CHRISTI — El Jefe munches on some lettuce as a group of visitors walks up to his home in the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. The huge tortoise doesn’t seem to mind the small crowd. The resident reptile lives near a 400-year-old tree trunk that was transformed into a playground, and not too far away are a sensory garden, nature trail and natural wetlands. “We were laughing earlier thinking it was just flowers, but it’s so much more,” said Crystal Valmont, of Missouri City. “The kids love it.” The botanical gardens is an informal environmental education destination in Corpus Christi that allows people to get better acquainted with nature. “We’re really a nature center with a botanical garden attached to it,” said Executive Director Michael Womack during a recent tour. Visitors can stroll through

 IF YOU GO SOUTH TEXAS BOTANICAL GARDENS AND NATURE CENTER 8545 S. Staples St., Corpus Christi

HOURS // 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, closed major holidays ADMISSION // $8 for adults and $4 for children between the ages of 3 and 12; free parking. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome.

a beautiful rose garden, orchid and bromeliad conservatories and more. The idea for the center started when the Corpus Christi Botanical Society formed in 1983 and four years later opened a 1-acre “cottage garden” and cactus-lined nature trail. Later, the group moved to its permanent location — 182 acres of leased city parkland at 8545 S. Staples St. — and opened in 1996. In addition to a resident reptile exhibit, the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center features a blend of floral gardens, natural wetlands, native habitat and resident exotic parrot collection. Visitors are welcome from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with a year-round schedule of classes and events. The venue only closes for major holidays and offers free parking. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome. General admission starts at $8 for adults and $4 for children between the ages of 3 and 12. The center raises most of its own caterpillars for the Butterfly House because it’s cost-effective. It’s not unusual to see master naturalists, master gardeners and other enthusiasts volunteering to keep the place running. Partnerships with area organizations also help. The nonprofit is supported by admissions, gift shop sales, grants, donations and educational programming. Educational events make it fun to get up-close with

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Phalaenopsis orchid at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Corpus Christi. reptiles and birds as well as talk to experts. One of the center’s youngest volunteers at 14, Caitlan Marchand, introduced summer campers to a large iguana named Ivan. Ivan moved to the center at least six years ago after he was found walking down the sidewalk in a residential neighborhood. Womack said his owners were never found, so the center took him in. Cliff Webb watched as his 7-year-old granddaughter, Caylin, participated in the last day of the Feath-

ers and Scales five-day summer camp. “It’s such a great camp. She’s just a tomboy. She’s not afraid of nothing,” he said. “But if you think about it, some of these kids never get to see this stuff.” The 18 children wearing matching T-shirts had big smiles as they posed with a hawk that was visiting from the Texas Sealife Center. “If you can get kids exposed early to appreciate nature then they can be advocates,” Womack said. “We’re training our future leaders.” VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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NUECES

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Top: A shark swims overhead in its tank at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. Bottom: Children play at the splash pad at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi.

TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM GIVES VISITORS UP-CLOSE LOOK AT SEA LIFE BY LAURA GARCIA lgarcia@vicad.com

CORPUS CHRISTI — Lexie Redner reaches into a tank and touches the top of a moon jelly. Her eyes grew wide as the bioluminescent jellyfish grazed her fingers. “Oh my God! That’s not how I thought it was,” she said loudly. The 11-year-old was visiting the Texas State Aquarium this summer with her Girl Scout troop from Los Fresnos, near Brownsville. 106

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Her fellow Scouts laughed as they waited for their turn to touch the jellyfish. The aquarium in Corpus Christi is a popular tourist attraction along the Gulf Coast that offers a lot of bang for its buck. With its recent 71,000-square-foot $60 million expansion called Caribbean Journey, the aquarium more than doubled its exhibit space. Seamus McAfee, spokesman for the Texas State Aquarium, said the big draw

is usually the rambunctious bottlenose dolphins. But the sloths are quickly becoming the favorite of the members and staff. The sloths, known as one of the world’s slowest mammals, live in the new exhibit with aquatic residents as well as dozens of exotic plants, flowers, trees and birds found in the Sian Ka’an. The exhibit mimics the biodiverse region in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and is insulated by a film skylight roof. There are bright pink flamingos within reach and views from above and below of aquatic animals. The Carribbean Journey is an experience like no other with a 400,000-gallon shark habitat complete with a shipwreck, a 4D theater and hands-on, interactive exhibits. These shows and the H-E-B Splash Park are included in the admission price. Aquarium visitors can see sharks through the longest curved display window in North America. Visitors can also see vampire bats, a variety of sharks, river otters, an alligator and a bald eagle named “Grace.” The aquarium is a private nonprofit that is fully accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This means the aquarium is not simply a place to get up-close with animals; the staff is dedicated to science education about marine conservation and habitats. Visitors have a limited time opportunity to see Champ, a 1-year-old Kemp’s ridley sea turtle that has overcome some incredible

odds. Champ was found with a missing left front flipper and, through a rehabilitation program recovered the ability to eat, and swim. “The long-term goal is to release him,” McAfee said. The Wildlife Rescue and Recovery program started in 1995 and treats about 350 injured animals annually, including ill and orphaned shorebirds, raptors, sea turtles and marine mammals. The aquarium’s mission is to engage people with animals, inspire appreciation for our seas and support wildlife conservation. The nonprofit coordinates beach clean ups and hosts educational camps for children. A honeycomb moray eel named Marley was displaced last summer when Hurricane Harvey destroyed the Rockport Aquarium. It’s no surprise that the aquarium opened its doors to Harvey refugees like Marley. “Now he’s got a nice, safe home here,” McAfee said.

 IF YOU GO TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM

2710 N. Shoreline Blvd. Corpus Christi 1-800-477-GULF

The Texas State Aquarium was recently named the No. 1 cultural attraction in South Texas, attracting more than 500,000 guestd each year. The aquarium was also named one of the Top 10 Aquariums in the nation by TravelChannel.com. HOURS // 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. After May, the aquarium stays open an hour later. COST // Ranges $34.95-$24.95; children 2 and under are free

NUECES

WINTON’S ISLAND CANDY STILL SWEET AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY BY LAURA GARCIA lgarcia@vicad.com

PORT ARANSAS — Rows of fresh fudge, caramels and nut clusters, a hard-to-find line of licorice, all flavors of saltwater taffy, more sour candies than your taste buds can handle and much more. Winton’s Island Candy is long considered the ultimate destination for sweet treats in the area by tourists and locals. And for many years, there was a rattlesnake named Jake living there. The unique confectionery was started by Mark Winton more than 20 years ago on the tiny island. “I think it was a stroke of luck that we ended up in this location,” he said. The 58-year-old owner also said getting into the candy business was kind of an accident. He was inspired by his father, who used to make trail

mixes to sell at flea markets in the late ’70s. He was looking for something to sell after another business fell through and he was left with some rental space. Over the years, the candy shop became a must-stop on the island. It is the kind of place where you walk in and almost feel overwhelmed with options. But last summer, a Category 4 hurricane made landfall, destroying the iconic shop. Winton, along with most of his neighbors in town, got the chance to prove that they weren’t going anywhere. There were too many candylovers counting on him. Many of their loyal customers are from San Antonio, Houston and Austin, but thebusiness also ships candies all around the world. Many families also have the business ship packages of

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Winton’s Island Candy in Port Aransas is open almost every day of the year.

treats to those serving in the your teeth. “You can really military. taste the butter and vanilla The family rebuilt the in it,” he said. shop and officially reopened The Wintons said there’s just two months after Hurri- something for everybody. cane Harvey. For Ian Johnson, a 16-year“We have a lot of history in old Port Aransas High school here and a lot of memories,” junior, who works the front said Kim Winton, 45, who counter, this is the best sumwas raised on the island. mer job on the island. Now things are most“It definitely beats workly back to normal with ing at a restaurant,” he said, Mark’s son, Thomas Win- although he admits that it ton, making most of the in- can be hard not to want to house treats from the old eat candy every day. family recipe. “There are people that The 23-year-old fish- live here (on the island) that ing guide arrives at 4 a.m. come in three times a week,” almost every day to he said. make fresh batches of fudge and caramel.  IF YOU GO They don’t do a lot of measuring in the kitchen. Each WINTON’S batch is not exactly the ISLAND CANDY same; still, people like the 601 S. Alister St., Port Aransas consistency of their candies. 361-749-4773 The owner’s favorite is their caramel, which is HOURS // smooth and doesn’t stick to 9 a.m.-9 p.m. every day VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS PARKS VICTORIA COUNTY Coleto Creek Park 365 Coleto Park Road 3,100-acre lake, 80 campsites, 59 sites have 50-amp hookup for RV, three camping cabins, water and electricity at each site, boat ramp, water skiing, fishing, camping, swimming, nature tours, mountain biking, two group pavilions with volleyball courts, playgrounds, horseshoe pit, barbecue pit, 200-foot lighted fishing pier, mile-long hiking and nature trail, restrooms 361-575-6366; gbra.org/ coletocreekpark Riverside Park 476 McCright Drive 562 acres, RV park, Texas Zoo, Texas Paddling Trail, 27-hole golf course, ballfields, duck pond, picnic areas, playgrounds, boat ramp, basketball court, hike and bike trails, rose garden, disc golf, restrooms, fishing, sand volleyball victoriatx.org Patriot Park (formerly Saxet Lake Park) Two miles south of Victoria off U.S. 59, on Timberline Drive at Fordyce and Fox roads 95 acres, fishing, swimming, picnic tables and pits, boat ramp, restrooms Opens at 7 a.m. daily, closes at 8 p.m. in the winter and 9 p.m. in the summer visitvictoriatx.com Community Center Park 211 N. Ben Wilson St. 73 acres, covered basketball court, playground, soccer fields, tennis courts, playground, softball and baseball complex, restrooms, picnic areas victoriatx.org

Ethel Lee Tracy Park 701 E. Larkspur St. 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; amphitheater 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Amphitheater, playground, restrooms, pavilion with electricity and barbecue pit, fishing lake, 9-hole disc golf, tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball courts, picnic shelters, horseshoe pits victoriatx.org Hopkins Park 505 S. Laurent St. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Two acres, full basketball court, playground, picnic tables, pavilion, restrooms victoriatx.org Ted B. Reed Park 2101 Salem Road 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily 10 acres, playground, lighted pavilion with barbecue pit and covered picnic tables, handball courts, single-goal basketball court, walking trail, restrooms victoriatx.org Martin Luther King Jr. Park 3808 Callis St. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Children’s playground, pavilion, barbecue pit, basketball court victoriatx.org Meadowlane Park 3202 Meadowlane Ave. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Children’s play equipment, two basketball courts, picnic tables victoriatx.org Pine Street Community Park 802 E. Pine St. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Children’s play unit, swingset, tire swing, basketball court, backstops, picnic tables victoriatx.org

Victoria Skate Park in the Youth Sports Complex 307 N. Ben Wilson St. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Skateboard and inline skating areas victoriatx.org

Queen City Park 2202 N. Cameron St. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Queen City is one of Victoria’s oldest parks, playground equipment, lighted picnic areas victoriatx.org

Brownson Park 202 N. Laurent St. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Play equipment, basketball goals, picnic tables victoriatx.org

Will Rogers Park 1108 E. Warren Ave. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Children’s play equipment, backstops, open play areas victoriatx.org

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Lone Tree Creek Park 4009 E. Airline Road 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Splashpad, restrooms, practice ball fields, soccer fields, Lone Tree Creek hike and bike trail victoriatx.org

ARANSAS COUNTY Aransas Pass Community Park East Johnson Avenue Harbor Park Conn Brown Harbor SH 361 The Flats Lighthouse Lakes Park Redfish Bay Causeway Newbury Park South Lamont Street Veterans Memorial Park (formerly McCampbell Park) Corner of North McCampbell Street and West Maddox Avenue Rockport Aquatic Park Multipurpose, heated competition pool and recreational pool with slides and sprays. The park has an eightlane, heated, 25-yard pool and diving area, a whale-shaped zero-depth children’s pool with slides, sprays and a bathhouse. The Skate Park Adjacent to the Aquatic Park Offers a 6,000-square-foot modular facility Dog Park at Memorial Park Two separate areas, for large and small dogs; water; disposal stations and benches Rockport Beach Park (“Blue Wave Beach”) Offers a pristine shoreline with playgrounds, fishing pier, boat ramp, picnic areas and salt water “pool,” rental facilities available. 361-729-6661 rockportbeach-texas.com Memorial Park 100-plus-acre community park with recreational trails, sporting fields, exercise stations, birding sites and picnic facilities. Hiking and Biking Trails Expanding with plans to connect the city’s boundaries Neighborhood parks Recreational and picnic facilities, ornamental and natural resource parks located throughout the city

BEE COUNTY Poesta Park A 33-acre community park in the southeastern corner of the city. Has six baseball fields with backstops, a swingset, a merrygo-round, a monkey bars set. 361-358-4641 Veteran’s Memorial Park The city’s largest community park at about 200 acres. Adjacent to the park on its west side is the city’s municipal golf course. Offers five lighted baseball diamonds with bleachers, five baseball fields with backstops, a concession building, 12 picnic tables with grills, 23 picnic tables without grills, a football/ soccer field with bleachers, two swingsets, two slides, one seesaw, two covered pavilion areas, two restroom buildings Koehler Park Known as Nopal Park is about 9 acres of neighborhood park in northwest Beeville. Offers four baseball fields with backstops, a volleyball sand pit, a slide, two swingsets, two monkey bars sets, eight picnic tables, a wading pool, a walking/jogging trail. Flournoy Park Three-acre park in the north central part of the city. Offers two lighted tennis courts, a swingset, a picnic table, a monkey bars set. Klipstein Park Centrally located, 2-acre neighborhood park. Offers a baseball field with backstop, two swingsets, a playscape, a monkey bars set, a slide, three picnic tables. Trevino Park Two-acre neighborhood park in the southwestern part of the city. Offers a basketball court with bleachers, a baseball field with backstop, three swingsets, a slide, a monkey bars set, two picnic tables. Carlos Reyes Park Ten-acre community park in the extreme southwestern part of the city. Offers a football/ soccer field, four baseball fields and backstops, three swingsets, a slide, a seesaw, restroom building. In addition, this park is surrounded by a road that is utilized for jogging and walking.

LISTS Martin Luther King City Pool Park Seven-acre community park just off West Corpus Christi Street. Offers a municipal swimming pool, five football/soccer fields, two baseball fields with backstops, two swingsets, a slide, a merry-go-round, two lighted outdoor basketball courts. Moore Park One-acre neighborhood park in southeastern part of the city. Offers a basketball court, a covered pavilion area, slide, swingset and monkey bars set.

CALHOUN COUNTY Lighthouse Beach and Bird Sanctuary-RV Park 700 Lighthouse Beach Road, Port Lavaca RV park, beach with cabanas and tiki umbrellas, splash pad, lighted fishing pier, bathrooms, tent area, playground, volleyball court, covered pavilion, hike and bike trail, public boat ramp. 361-552-5311 Brookhollow Estates Park 135 E. Harbor Drive, Port Lavaca Playground, exercise equipment and picnic area. 361-552-3347 City Park (Tilley Park) 711 Tilley St., Port Lavaca Covered pavilion, volleyball court, picnic area with barbecue pits, bathrooms, large open green space, basketball hoops and playground. 361-552-3347 George Adams Park 501 S. Benavides St., Port Lavaca Covered pavilion, playground, restrooms, picnic area with barbecue pits, basketball court and large open green space. 361-552-3347 Bayfront Peninsula Park Commerce and Main streets, Port Lavaca Lighted fishing pier, public boat ramp, splash pad, playground, restrooms, covered pavilion and fishing available from stepped seawall. 361-552-3347 Wilson Field At Seadrift and Jackson streets, Port Lavaca Softball field, baseball field, soccer field, concession stand, restrooms and large open area. 361-552-3347

Chocolate Bayou Park Austin Street, Port Lavaca Playground, picnic area with barbecue pits, covered pavilions, restrooms, duck pond, wetlands nature trail, baseball and soccer fields. 361-552-9242 Faye Sterling Park Downtown on Main Street, Port Lavaca Rest areas 361-552-3347 Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area Only accessible by boat Migratory birds, white-tailed deer, alligators, saltwater fishing, hunting (in season), birding, picnicking, lighthouse from 1852; camping on camp grounds requires limited use permit and annual hunt permit. 361-790-0307

DEWITT COUNTY Yoakum City Park 703 S. Park Road Picnic tables, barbecue pits, swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts, sand volleyball court, covered pavilions, walking trail, new playscapes, RV sites available. 361-293-5682 Mack Jamison Park Dunn Street Pavilion, volleyball and basketball courts, baseball field, playground equipment, barbecue pits, Jamison Youth Center and lighted soccer field. 361-293-5682 Centennial Park West Grand Avenue Gazebo, green space, small playscape. 361-293-5682 Front Street Railroad Park Front Street Green space 361-293-5682 Chisholm Trail Park Corner of Alternate U.S. 77 and West Gonzales Street Bronze statues representing cattle trail, lush trees and native plants. 361-293-5682 Yorktown City Park Main Street, Yorktown Playground, Ferris wheel, tennis courts, fishing, hike and bike trail, barbecue areas, pavilion and basketball court. 361-564-2611

Cuero Municipal Park U.S. 87, Cuero Anna Koch Pavilion includes two barbecue pits and two fire pits; Municipal Park Clubhouse rental; Lions Club pavilion includes six covered metal picnic tables and barbecue pit. Seven covered picnic units along lake front, picnic tables on island at lake; large covered picnic unit with barbecue pit pavilion including two large pits, fire pit and one smaller pit for individual use; eight singleuser pits throughout the park; 12 concrete picnic tables throughout other areas of the park, four volleyball courts, basketball pavilion with three full-size courts, golf pro-shop with covered deck with six wooden picnic tables, two soccer fields, CBAT field (hard ball), Little League complex including major field, minor field, T-ball/softball field and nine-hole golf course; Friar Ag Center, Rodeo Arena; kids playground includes 10 swings, one handicap swing, two toddler swings, one playscape, one toddler playscape, two climbing toys, four metal- coated benches and four stand-alone toys. Outdoor swimming pool, including two water slides and wading pool, splash pad, covered area with picnic tables. Gazebo with native plants, community garden with 12 spaces, walking trail measuring 2.85 miles with benches at various locations; lake with lighted fishing pier and knoll for outdoor movies, plays and other outdoor events. Three public restrooms (ADAaccessible). 361-275-6114

GOLIAD COUNTY Goliad State Park 108 Park Road 6 188 acres includes Mission Espiritu Santo State Historic Site and is close to Presidio LaBahia, Ignacio Zaragoza Birthplace State Historic Site, Fannin Battleground State Historic Site, the Goliad Historical District and Mission Rosario State Historic Site. Also has an amphitheater, museum, store, camping, dining hall, playground, trailer dump station, restrooms with showers, nature trail, river trail and Goliad paddling trail takeout point Fee: 13 and up, $3 361-645-3405

tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/goliad Fannin Plaza Park/Fort Fun One block northeast of downtown square, South Market and East Franklin streets. Amenities include sprawling playground, benches and trees next to downtown. 361-645-3563 Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir 365 Coleto Park Road, Victoria 83 campsites, four rental trailers, four camping cabins, 28 sites have 50-amp hookup for RV, 47 sites have 30-amp hookup. Boat ramp, water skiing, two group pavilions with volleyball courts, horseshoe pit, barbecue pit, water and electricity. Also, 200-foot lighted fishing pier, a milelong hiking and nature trail, restrooms and 3,100acre lake. Fee: $9 per vehicle per day, up to four people; $2 per person per day 361-575-6366 coletocreekpark.com

JACKSON COUNTY Brackenridge Park and Campground 891 Brackenridge Parkway 136 full or partial campsites, five two-bedroom cabins, several indoor rental facilities, four restrooms with showers, outdoor pavilion, gazebo, hike and bike trails, 12-mile equestrian trail, softball field, soccer field, paintball, nine-hole miniature golf, nine-hole disc golf, picnic area, playgrounds and boat ramp. The park also is the site of the Texana Historical Church built in 1859 by the Brackenridge family. The church is not open all the time, but visitors can pick up a key and tour the church. The Brackenridge family cemetery and homesite are on the historical trail. The park is located on Lake Texana, where guests can enjoy various lake activities. 361-782-5456, fax: 361-782-5419 email: brc@lnra.org brackenridgepark.com VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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LISTS Texana Park and Campground 46 Park Road 1 141 full or partial campsites, two three-bedroom cabins, seven restrooms with and without showers, an outdoor pavilion, day use area for picnicking and grilling under tree-shaded tables, good birding and fishing. Park also has several hike and bike trails, nature center, amphitheater, lighted fishing piers, fishing jetty that is handicap accessible, double boat ramp, playgrounds, trailer dump station and fish-cleaning facility near the boat ramp. The park is on Lake Texana where guests can enjoy various lake activities. 361-782-5718 brackenridgepark.com Shelby Park 104 Shelby Park Road Shelby Hall 8 a.m.-midnight, Shelby pool open summer from 1-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday Rental prices for Shelby Hall. Exceptions can be made for areas to be lighted for permitted, specific events such as baseball or softball. Other uses of existing facilities after hours shall be by permit or agreement only. 361-782-3122 cityofedna.com Martin Luther King Park Martin Luther King Drive Can be rented and reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis for $50. 361-782-3122 Children’s Park Off Pumphrey Street Intended as children’s playplace as parents exercise around the area. Texana Raceway Park/ Stock Car Races 258 County Road 412 Two miles east of Edna on SH 111, then left on Haines Road (FM 412) 361-781-0411; 979-758-4440 Ganado Devers Creek Park Sutherland Street Picnic tables, barbecue grills, two playground areas, two fishing piers, exercise station, two nature trails follow the banks of Devers Creek and covered pavilion with restrooms and kitchen available to rent for special events. 361-771-2232 110

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LAVACA COUNTY Welhausen Park Downtown city block on Avenue E., Shiner Bandstand, playground equipment and monuments describing Shiner’s history. 361-594-3362 Green-Dickson Municipal Park 2086 County Road 351, Shiner Picnic tables, baseball and softball complex, tennis and volleyball courts, covered pavilion, walking and biking trails, RV spaces and the Veterans War Memorial. 361-594-3362 Moulton City Park 102 Veterans Drive, off FM 532, Moulton Baseball field, basketball and tennis courts, barbecue areas, playscapes, fishing pond, covered pavilion and RV spaces with utilities. 361-596-4621 Hallettsville City Park 910 N. Main St., Hallettsville Playground, picnic tables, swimming pool, golf course, two covered pavilions, volleyball and tennis courts. 361-798-3681 cityofhallettsville.org

REFUGIO COUNTY Lion’s/Shelly Park 301 W. Empresario St., Refugio Playground, covered pavilion, picnic tables, nature trails, fishing pier and restrooms. 361-526-5361 Heritage Park 102 West St., Refugio 361-526-5361 Kings Park Off Commerce Street, Refugio 361-526-5361

WHARTON COUNTY Caney Creek Park 400 Caney Drive, Wharton 979-532-2491 Harris Park Near Camellis Avenue and West Milam Street, Wharton 979-532-2491 Croom Park 2900 Old Lane City Road, Wharton 979-532-2491

Riverfront Park U.S. 59 bridge, Wharton 979-532-2491 Jefferson Park Southeast Avenue 979-532-2491 Mayfair Park Olive Street, Wharton Includes a softball field 979-532-2491 Park at Legacy Fields 303 West Loop, El Campo Friendship Park 1202 N. Wharton St., El Campo Rotary Park 1211 E. Jackson St., El Campo Willie Bell Park 720 W. Second St., El Campo Second Street Park 603 W. Second St., El Campo Alamo Park 226 W. First St., El Campo Evans Park 112 E. Monseratte, El Campo Delta Street Park 1303 Delta St., El Campo El Campo Aquatic Center 2613 Blossom Meyer St., El Campo

NUECES COUNTY Nueces County Coastal Parks 15820 Park Road 22, Corpus Christi 361-949-8121 Padre Balli Park 15820 Park Road 22, Corpus Christi 361-949-8121 Lamar Park 4231 Santa Fe St., Corpus Christi 361-826-3460 Oso Park Corpus Christi Kingston Park 3909 Kingston Drive, Corpus Christi 361-826-3460 Hazel Bazemore Park 4343 Co. Road 69, Corpus Christi 361-387-4231 Labonte Park 14333 Interstate 37 Access Road, Corpus Christi 361-826-2489 Packery Channel Park 14218 S. Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi 361-949-7004 West Guth Park 9700 Up River Road, Corpus Christi 361-826-3499

Cole Park 101 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi 361-826-3102 South Bluff Park Corpus Christi McCaughan Park 602 N. Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi Ben Garza Park 1815 Howard St., Corpus Christi 361-884-2194 Ropes Park 3502 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi Swantner Park 5426 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi Amistad Park 1200 W. 3rd St., Bishop 361-387-5445 Nueces County Park 321 N. On The Beach, Port Aransas 361-749-6117 Lighthouse Lakes Park SH 361, Port Aransas Mustang Island State Park 17047 SH 361, Port Aransas 361-749-5246 Ortiz County Park 415 Mainer Road, Robstown Robstown Park 415 Mainer Road, Robstown 361-387-5904 Sablatura Park SH 44, Robstown

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY La Fruta Park 23547 County Road 1094, Sinton 361-385-0591 San Patricio De Hibernia 361-385-0591 Chipita Rodriguez Park 361-385-0591

REFUGIO COUNTY

REFUGIO BUSINESSES BOUNCE BACK FROM STORM  TUTTLE’S GROVERY & MEAT MARKET OFFERS TRADITION, GOOD FOOD

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.co

Metal decorative roses are sold at The Station in Refugio.

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REFUGIO

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

A Little “Britt” of Heaven and Britt’s Floral owner Dana Alsop arranges a bouquet in her floral shop.

REFUGIO BUSINESSES BOUNCE BACK FROM STORM BY LAURA GARCIA lgarcia@vicad.com

REFUGIO — The roof was long gone from the 1938 gas station. The walls had caved in, and there was a foot of murky water on the floor. Many of the trinkets and knickknacks inside didn’t survive. “Hurricane Harvey came by and took my business away from me,” said Jeff Brittain, who had run an “antiques, collectibles and good junk” store off U.S. 77 for the past 15 years. A big chair outside, which over the years had become a tourist attraction, blew away, and a leg broke off. In the months after Harvey, he found out that the little town of just over a couple thousand people missed that oversized chair. 112

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“Just going to H-E-B, everyone would ask me about it,” he said. “It became a symbol of repairing Refugio.” Brittain was able to reopen his store in March inside of a pre-fab building on the property and now mainly sells home decor imported from Mexico and yard art. He estimates about 90 percent of his business comes from travelers passing through wanting to take a little bit of Texas with them. He says his best-seller is still the metal dachshunds, but locals also come by for his wife’s goat milk soaps and for fresh, free-range eggs by the dozen. He retired after more than 30 years in the oil field industry, and the store had been a way for him to keep busy.

“The best part of the whole thing is meeting people who come through the front door,” he said. The old metal door at the gas station used to have pictures of travelers who came by to pose for photos in the chair. The tourists came from all over the world, including Canada, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Germany. That door is gone, but he keeps the photos in an envelope until he finds a way to display them again. Brittain said he feels fortunate to be able to bring his business back. Many residents lost their jobs and homes because of Harvey. Down the main drag in town, at another business ,an employee was hanging a

bright red sign outside a cafe that read “Now Open.” Other restaurants remain closed, and roofs all over town are covered with tarps. “Even after a year, we’re still feeling the effects,” said Kathy Franklin, office manager at the county’s chamber of commerce. “It’s just a slow process.” Refugio offers other places to visit. BEYOND THE GLO The women’s boutique and tanning salon in downtown Refugio offers the latest fashion in clothing and accessories, including specialty brands with a cute Southern flair. Beyond the Glo was opened six years ago by Refugio native Sierra Mascorro. “I wanted something fun,” she said. “I wanted

REFUGIO something affordable.” Her target customers are working moms in sizes XS to 3X. And now, nearly unscathed by the hurricane, she’s working to expand the business at a nearby location. MOYA’S CAFE Eat where the locals eat. If you’re from the area, this restaurant serves up Mexican food just the way your mama made it. Just a couple blocks off the main highway is Moya’s Cafe, which has been in the same tiny building and owned by the same family for generations. Regulars order the enchilada plate; the country fried steak; or Panchos, which is a plate of bean and cheese nachos topped with guacamole and jalapenos. Hurricane Harvey has only kept the doors closed for a month. “Many a birthday have been celebrated in Moya’s,” said Deb Bauer, 60, who has eaten there her whole life. In the next booth over, high school sweethearts now in their 70s come in for their favorite meal. Lynette and Robert Nixon said they were in Victoria for a doctor’s appointment but rushed home for lunch. “If you want good Mexican food, you come here,” she said. “People come from all over for it.” A LITTLE “BRITT” OF HEAVEN AND BRITT’S FLORAL Dana Alsop, owner of A Little “Britt” of Heaven, opened her downtown event venue in the heart of downtown Refugio because she wanted to revitalize her hometown. Her parents owned Refugio Pharmacy and Flower Gift Box a couple doors down from her current business. “I grew up on this little block,” she said. The indoor banquet room can seat 100 and the beau-

tiful outdoor courtyard can accommodate an additional 150 guests. “It kind of transports you out of Refugio,” she said. “You feel like you’re in a bistro or on Bourbon Street.” Also inside the building is a little hair salon. A few months ago, Alsop opened up a floral shop inside the building out of necessity because most of the florists in the county had been closed because of Hurricane Harvey. Alsop said her goal was to not only run a venue but start a network for those who are planning events in the region. Alsop said everything you’d need for a party is here in the area, including bakers, DJs, chalkboard artists and venues. “We don’t have to go out of town unless we choose to,” she said. In June, she booked 19 events: “For a small town, that’s pretty good.”

 IF YOU GO A LITTLE “BRITT” OF HEAVEN AND BRITT’S FLORAL 711 Commerce St. 361-688-9162

BEYOND THE GLO 718 Commerce St. 361-526-2236

HOURS // 10 a.m.-5:30 weekdays; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

MOYA’S CAFE 401 2nd St. 361-526-2487

HOURS // 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday

THE STATION

411 S. Alamo St., Refugio 361-349-7088 HOURS // 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. TuesdaySaturday

Contributed photo

Top: Inside a 1938 gas station, The Station Antiques, Collectibles and Good Junk was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. The business reopened in March on U.S. 77. Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.co

Middle: The No. 1 Delux Mexican Dinner, center, has two cheese enchiladas, a beef taco and a chili con queso tostada at Moya’s Cafe. Bottom: Metal weiner dogs are a best-seller at The Station in Refugio. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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REFUGIO

TUTTLE’S GROCERY & MEAT MARKET OFFERS TRADITION, GOOD FOOD BY LAURA GARCIA lgarcia@vicad.com

WOODSBORO — If you find yourself in Refugio County around lunchtime, people will tell you to go to Tuttle’s for its buffet. The tiny town’s only grocery store and traditional butcher shop is also a restaurant serving up homemade food six days a week. Enchiladas are usually served Wednesdays, and fish is always served Fridays. “The best is barbecue on Saturdays. If you don’t get here early, you don’t get any barbecue,” said Gary Wright, 114

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chief deputy for the Refugio County Sheriff’s Office, during a meal at Tuttle’s. The store has been serving barbecue this way for more than 60 years. In fact, the store is close to celebrating 90 years since it was founded in 1928 by Charles Tuttle. Since then, the family business has been passed on through the generations. Sylvia Escamilla, 61, has worked for the family since the late ’70s. She remembers when the current owner took the reins, all she could think of was when he was a kid coming in

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Diners enjoy lunch in Tuttle’s Grocery and Meat Market’s dining area.

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

A stuffed bobcat sits in the center of the grocery aisles at Tuttle’s Grocery and Meat Market.

REFUGIO kicking the boxes while she stocked the shelves. “To me, after so many years, they’re family to me,” she said. “I love them to death.” Escamilla often would take care of the Tuttle children, and she still comes in early to open up the store every morning. And after a Category 4 storm devastated the county in August 2017, the store opened soon after the storm it made landfall because of a generator. Tuttle’s provided necessary goods to survivors during a time when everything was closed, electricity was out and trees were down everywhere preventing those who stayed from leaving. “Good ‘ol Tuttle’s. The store made it,” Escamilla said. “People were thankful that we were here.” Stanley Tuttle, 51, whose grandfather started the business all those years ago, said he just thinks of it as a neighborhood grocery and meat market with a little restaurant attached. But he knows what the store means to people in the area, especially to the longtime employees and regular customers. “It’s something you just don’t see anymore,” he said pointing to the old-fashioned meat counter. “Things done the old way.” The store is one of the few places left where locals can put purchases on their tab, or you can call Escamilla and she’ll make you a to-go plate. Stanley said he likes being

able to offer something from the past the way his dad Eugene and Uncle Alvin operated. “I got my own ways, you gotta change to stay in business, but ultimately I did learn from them,” he said. Stanley’s 29-year-old son Cody Tuttle handles marketing on social media and they promote their unique varieties of smoked meats and stuffed jalapeno poppers. Woodsboro Police Chief Martin DeLeon said not only is the store convenient and the food good, but it’s a place where they can bring out-oftown visitors. “Everything’s homemade here.” He feels comfortable eating lunch, and sometimes breakfast, at the red-and-white checkered tables surrounded by familiar faces. Sitting next to him is Refugio County Sheriff Raul “Pinky” Gonzales sharing alligator stories from his days as a game warden. “We try to solve the world’s problems here at this table,” Gonzales jokes.

 IF YOU GO TUTTLE’S GROCERY & MEAT MARKET

214 2nd St. in Woodsboro 361-543-4853 tuttlesmeatmarket.com

Breakfast and lunch buffet on weekdays; barbecue served Saturday HOURS // 6 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

Matthew Westmoreland/mwestmoreland@vicad.com

Top: Stanley Tuttle, 51, seasons fresh-sliced cuts of beef in the butcher’s corner at Tuttle’s Grocery and Meat Market. Middle: Melissa Cisneros, 25, serves a customer at the meat counter of Tuttle’s Grocery and Meat Market in Woodsboro. Bottom: Stanley Tuttle, 51, serves a customer at his family’s meat market. Tuttle is the third-generation owner of Tuttle’s Grocery and Meat Market. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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SAN PATRICIO COUNTY

TEXAN WARBIRD ADVENTURES COMBINES HISTORY AND FLIGHT  RAILROAD SEAFOOD STATION IS ‘SHRIMPLY’ DELICIOUS

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

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Odem is home to a large city park with four playground features and ample green space.

SAN PATRICIO

TEXAN WARBIRD ADVENTURES COMBINES HISTORY AND FLIGHT BY AMBER ALDACO aaldaco@vicad.com

ARANSAS PASS — About 80 years ago, young U.S. soldiers flew all over Texas in North American SNJ-4 planes to train for combat during World War II. Times have changed, and now history buffs and fans of aviation can experience a

 IF YOU GO TEXAN WARBIRD ADVENTURES

Flights are $300 for a halfhour or $250 for a 20-minute flight. To book a flight, call 844359-7654 or send an email to Flysnj4@gmail.com. Texan Warbird Adventures can also be reached through TexanWarbirdAdventures.com and on Facebook at Texan Warbird Adventures. Military, veteran and first responder discounts, group rates, and gift certificates are available.

sightseeing tour of the Coastal Bend via a piece of history. “It’s like flying in a convertible,” said Brandie Hayden, co-owner of Texan Warbird Adventures. The unique flying tour business started in April 2015. Hayden and her husband, Trey Hayden, started the business together after purchasing the 1943 North American SNJ-4 in Houston. The plane was once a trainer during World War II and is somewhat of a collector’s edition, said Trey Hayden. “There’s probably around 400 throughout the whole country,” he said. Hayden, a U.S. Navy pilot, serves as the pilot for Texan Warbird Adventures. Hayden is a third-generation aviator and earned his private pilot license at age 17. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Texan Warbird Adventures owner/pilot Trey Hayden explains to Christopher Parry, 13, of Edmond, Okla., the features on a 1943 North American SNJ-4 airplane. University. Hayden has accumulated more than 6,900 flight hours in various military and civilian aircraft, including more than 550 day and night landings aboard Navy aircraft carriers, according to the Texan Warbird Adventures website. The first time Hayden flew the World War II relic was rewarding, he said. Pilots as young as 18 learned how to fly the trainers during World War II. The couple wanted to purchase and preserve the plane, but also share the plane with others Victoria resident Roger Dawson, a World War II veteran, flew with Texan Warbird Adventures in May 2017. He, too, was a U.S. Navy pilot in his youth. “It was a great ride, and it felt great to be up in the air,” Dawson said in an article in the Victoria Advocate. “It took me back to the good times.”

Brandi Hayden said being able to take veterans on a flight is especially nice. Those who book flights are usually celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or completing a bucket-list item. “People are happy to get a bird’s-eye view and just to hear that engine coming to life — it’s such a unique sound,” she said. “Those who are aviation and history buffs will really enjoy it.” Flights range from 20 minutes to 30 minutes, with the tour including the Corpus Christi Bay, downtown Corpus Christi, the USS Lexington, the Harbor Bridge, the Texas State Aquarium, Whataburger Field and the Port Aransas beach. The flights are single-passenger, and the youngest passenger they’ve had was 8 years old, said Brandi Hayden. “It’s very rewarding and a neat way to introduce people to aviation,” Trey Hayden said. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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SAN PATRICIO

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Fried jumbo shrimp is one of many favorites at the Original Railroad Seafood Station in Odem.

RAILROAD SEAFOOD STATION IS ‘SHRIMPLY’ DELICIOUS BY AMBER ALDACO aaldaco@vicad.com

ODEM — Tucked away in San Patricio County, off U.S. 77, is a seafood paradise that residents and visitors alike flock for their fried shrimp fix. The cozy, rustic-style eatery is a busy place during the lunch hour any given day of the week, with families, friends, co-workers and visitors stopping by to get a healthy basket of onion rings and catch up over coconut shrimp.

Though former Odem school principal and superintendent Manuel Lunoff can count several favorite entrees from the menu, he decided to have the shrimp quesadillas one summer afternoon. Lunoff can be found at the restaurant at least once a week. “The food is delicious — anything you get is going to be great,” Lunoff, 73, said. “We needed a place like this in Odem. Whenever I have family or friends visiting me, I always bring them here

because I know it’s going to be good.” The Original Railroad Seafood Station has served up

shellfish and more for almost 15 years. The Hinojosa family — which includes parents Dolores and Luis Hinojosa,

 IF YOU GO RAILROAD SEAFOOD STATION 1507 Voss Ave., Odem 361-368-3200

HOURS // 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday — Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday — Saturday 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Sunday Closed on Monday, but available for private parties. 118  DISCOVER 2018

Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Natalie Hinojosa, 44, checks on Kirby Brandt at the Original Railroad Seafood Station in Odem. Hinojosa and her brothers handle the day-to-day operations of the family business.

SAN PATRICIO sons Nathan and Alex Hinojosa and daughter Natalie Hinojosa — bought the building, which used to house a taqueria, with plans to create a bigger restaurant. “My parents bought the building, and it started as an investment. We were blessed to have a lot of help from people at the beginning,” said Nathan Hinojosa, manager. The family knew they wanted a family-style seafood restaurant and expanded the venue to the 3,500 square feet that it is today. The establishment gets its rustic aesthetic from the refurbished, recycled and polished wooden beams, which made the restaurant smell like Christmas for a few weeks during the renovation, Hinojosa said. The name stems from how Odem was a passageway for trains, Hinojosa said. The family pays homage to the train industry with paintings and sketches of railroad trains throughout the building. Once the building was ready, the family took off their construction aprons and tied on cooking aprons and stepped into the kitchen. Since 2004, the restaurant has served seafood in a variety of ways — grilled, blackened, fried, sauteed, and in pastas, in

salads and as sides. Most order from the family-style menu, Hinojosa said, which includes fried shrimp, the most popular item on the menu. “The family-style accommodates families and large groups so well because you can just pass around the food, and it’s ready fast,” Hinojosa said. Other popular items include the avocado salad; onion rings; coconut shrimp; and the house tartar sauce, which is a secret family recipe, said Natalie Hinojosa. “It tastes good with everything,” she said. Railroad Seafood Station is also available for private parties Sunday evenings and Mondays, when it is typically closed. The restaurant also accommodates on busy days, such as high school graduation. Hinojosa always looks forward to Valentine’s Day at the restaurant. “There’s been several proposals here on Valentine’s Day. Those are real sweet moments that we all get to witness, and to think we are a part of that moment is just amazing,” Hinojosa said. “We’ve met so many great people through here, both our staff and customers, and we are grateful.” Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com

Top: Nathan Hinojosa, 45, visits with customers at the Original Railroad Seafood Station in Odem. Hinojosa and his sister handle the day-to-day operations of the family business. Middle: Many of the dishes at the Original Railroad Seafood Station in Odem can be prepared to order from fried, grilled, blackened or boiled. Bottom: Avocado salad at the Original Railroad Seafood Station in Odem. The locally owned eatery is owned and operated by the Hinojosa family and has been at its location for 14 years. VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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BUSINESS OWNER INTERTWINES COFFEE, PAINT IN DOWNTOWN EL CAMPO

WHARTON COUNTY 120

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Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.co

Paint Perfection Coffee Bar in El Campo.

ATTRACTIONS

El Campo Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture

979-543-2713 EC C . l

ampo

hamber com

01 N. Mechanic El Campo, TX 77437

Live Music Museums Unique Gifts Recreation Historic Murals Waterfowl Hunting Wining & Dining Day Trips Available

presents

El Campo Saturday, October 6th

liveBands

Craft & Food Booths Children’s Games & Activities

The Twilights Polka Band Drug Store Gypsies Joel Hernandez David Lee Garza y los Musicales

Alamo Park

10am - 11:30pm

ElCampoPrairieDays.com

Petting Zoo 5K Color Run Motorcycle Fun Run

Rick Trevino

31st Annual

christmas mall SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 ST 9 am - 5 pm

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 ND 10 AM - 4 PM

$3 Adult Admission $1 Children under 12 Under School Age FREE

WHARTON

BUSINESS OWNER INTERTWINES COFFEE, PAINT IN DOWNTOWN EL CAMPO BY GABRIELLA CANALES gcanales@vicad.com

EL CAMPO — Coffee is the perfect complement to paint to add color to downtown El Campo. “It’s neat to give downtown activity,” said Molli Bodungen, owner of Paint Perfection.

Paint Perfection has evolved into four types of stores since 2015 - including a coffee shop, mercantile store, office space and workshop - and is one business part of the city’s downtown revitalization plan. The Coffee Shop serves coffee, soups and sandwich-

es. The Loft is available office space for rent. The Workshop offers paint parties, art classes and open work space hours. The Mercantile is a refinished and antique furniture and decor consignment shop from local craftspeople. The workshop was originally a paint store, the coffee bar was originally a resale shop and the mercantile store was originally a flower shop, Bodungen said.

 IF YOU GO PAINT PERFECTION

115 N. Washington St., El Campo

HOURS // 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays; 8 a.m.-noon Saturday

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Emil’s Place, an old-fashioned burger restaurant, in El Campo. 122

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FOR MORE INFO // Call 979-543-2300 or send an email to info@ paintperfectionelcampo.com

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Children play at the El Campo Aquatic Center. Bodungen was previously a school administrator for 20 years with a degree in business. “It was a God thing from the beginning,” she said. The most interesting part of opening her store was restoring the building, which was about 100 years old, she said. The building, 109 N. Washington St., was originally a saloon in 1910. During the restoration, she kept the Netardus Drug Store sign and glass from the barber shop. The coffee shop was an afterthought, she said. Her original vision was to provide customers with coffee while they waited for their paint products. However, the coffee shop now allows her to form relationships with people.

WHARTON The bulk of activity in downtown El Campo were businesses, Bodungen said. But she plans acoustic nights once a month and strolling sidewalk sales that bring together other downtown businesses. The Workshop is for artists of all skill levels, said Pam Clapp, co-owner and artist, who guides patrons and breaks down the art process. Clapp said she hopes to get residents to the downtown area. El Campo has several other businesses that attract visitors: • Although there are plenty of choices for barbecue in El Campo, the Smoke Shack BBQ is a winner. The restaurant, a small red shack in front of Dollar Tree at 1274 N. Mechanic St., is co-owned by Gary Rodriguez and Brandon Rivera. Rodriguez is an accomplished 16-year competitive barbecue cook under the team name Grillers Gone Wild. He has represented Wharton County at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Cook-off in 2016 and looks forward to 2019. Rivera is also a longtime, first-rate competition barbecue cook. He has competed for 17 years with numerous awards under the team name Joking and Smoking. He is also the owner of award-winning Pitt Viper BBQ Rub. He has spent a lot of time working on the flavor profiles that enhance the natural flavors of the meats. The restaurant looks forward to creating a unique BBQ experience everyone will enjoy. The hours of operation are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

• The Rotary Club of El Campo began a project in 1999 to design and build the El Campo Aquatic Center to replace the 50-year-old American Legion pool. It was designed to be a family-oriented venue for recreation, swim lessons, parties, exercise, therapy and competitive swimming. The Rotary Club Pool Committee was successful in soliciting funds for the project through various grant applications and donations, as well as participation by the city of El Campo, El Campo school district and Wharton County. The final result was a $1.9 million facility, located on El Campo school district property at 2613 Blossom Meyer, with three heated pools, including an 8-lane-by-25-yard competition pool, a recreational or leisure area with a 85-foot slide, water mushroom, lily pads and other features, and a large 20-person hot tub. The facility opened in January 2005 and is operated by the city. • The Vintage Chica in downtown El Campo combines junk and lunch. The shop, 105 S. Mechanic St., sells antiques and oddities and operates as a restaurant during lunch hours. The hours of operation are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday. • The owners of Jalapenos Cuisine wanted to bring the freshness of home cooking to downtown El Campo. Ruben and Myra Castillo opened the restaurant, 120 W. Monseratte St., in September 2017. One of the most popular items on the menu is the ceviche, which is fish cooked Mexican-style with lime juice

and served on a cold plate. The restaurant’s dishes are cooked with fresh vegetables and every plate is freshly prepared when the customer

orders. The hours of operation are 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 7:30 a.m.9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; closed Monday.

Angela Piazza/apiazza@vicad.com

Jacob Eide, 12, drinks a raspberry smoothie and his brother Parker, 5, drinks iced tea at Paint Perfection Coffee Bar in El Campo.

More of what Texans are looking for      

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907 S Wharton St. El Campo, TX 979979-543543-7756 1116 S Wells St. Edna, TX 361361-782782-5051

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VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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DIRECTORY AREA ATTRACTIONS

BAKERY & CATERING

Cuero Heritage Museum 124 E. Church St. Cuero, TX 77954 361-485-8090 cueroheritagemuseum.org

Blessing Hotel & Coffee Shop 10th & Ave. B Blessing, TX 77419 361-588-6623

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AUTOMOTIVE

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Also Offering Breakfast Tacos & Sausage Rolls

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

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570-TAXI

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DIRECTORY SCHOOLS/EDUCATION

REAL ESTATE

Victoria Christian School 601 E. Colorado St. Victoria, TX 77901 361-573-55345

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VICTORIAADVOCATE.COM

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Local News Is: • About issues in your community

• Public safety in Victoria and beyond

• Information that affects your life

• Your accomplishments

• About your streets • High School sports results

• Boot Fest, Jam Fest, and Things to do in the Crossroads

• About your utility rates

• Not cheap to produce

• About your schools

• Worth paying for • Local News You Can Trust

• City election coverage

• Hurricane Harvey recovery

• Economic Development

To Subscribe to Print or Digital Call 361.574.1200 or go to www.VictoriaAdvocate.com/advantage

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RE/MAX HALL OF FAME Veronica McCants

Broker/Owner

John Quitta 361-571-7934

Alfred Kopecky 361-550-1825

Mark Manning 361-550-8021

Tracy Graves 361-655-4457

Melvin Chaloupka

361-550-3798

Lorene Bothe 361-935-5050

Sarah Korcznski Broker/Owner

Jamie Powell 361-703-7777

Marco Porras 361-649-1300

Ernest Guajardo Jr. 361-571-0311

Renee McKinney 361-655-0099

www.HomesInVictoriaTx.com www.SellingCalhounCounty.com Residential Leaders Since 2010*

Carol McLarry 361-935-4371

Kimberly Garrett 361-550-4033

Reynolds Tharp 261-728-6095

Leslie Bell 361-550-8966

Jacqui Hyden 361-946-0557

Russell Neubauer 361-293-1581

Cat Jones 361-655-8009

Brian Olguin 361-935-5037

Candace Klein 361-649-5090

Tami Brown 361-550-4854

Kimberly Wiggen 361-676-6264

Amanda Gamblin Fuller

Bill Janecek 361-645-9442

Sally Janca 361-655-6305

Denise McGough 361-655-4490

Ashley Toledo 361-489-7380

361-645-4593

5215 N Navarro • Victoria

361.573.0444

Debbie Welfel 361-648-9355

Donna Sahualla 361-571-7653

Karen Leita 361-648-9011

Caesar Leita 361-648-8715

Shannon Rampley 361-550-1430

Michelle Krogsgaard

361-676-5552

Kate Compton 361-550-9332

Julie Thomas 361-777-5583

Debbie Kowalik 361-550-8801

Bert Jones 361-489-9555

4 Offices 46 REALTORS To Serve You

310 E. Morris • Yoakum

361.293.6448

349 W. Pearl St. • Goliad

361.551.0723

602 N. Virginia St • Port Lavaca

361.552.5200

*Based on residential sales in Victoria Area Association of REALTORS. Data is Reliable but not guaranteed. May not reflect all sales in Victoria market.

Each office independently Owned and Operated. Not all REALTORS are pictured.

Your best night’s sleep is at Chesnicks! MATTRESSES DESIGNED TO

ADAPT TO YOU!

TEMPUR-PEDIC QUEEN MATTRESSES STARTING AT

PER MONTH

60 MONTH FINANCING FREE DELIVERY

CR AFTING THE WORLD’S FINEST BED STEARNS & FOSTER QUEEN MATTRESSES STARTING AT

PER MONTH

GET UP TO $ 300

FREE FRAME & 2 PILLOWS

While supplies last. Cannot combine coupons. Must present coupon at time of purchase. See store for details.

IN-STORE CREDIT WITH PURCHASE OF ANY TEMPUR-PEDIC OR STEARNS & FOSTER.

WITH PURCHASE OF ANY TEMPUR-PEDIC OR STEARNS & FOSTER.

SHOWROOM LOCATION: 116 W. JUAN LINN ST. VICTORIA, TX 77901

HOURS: MON-SAT 9:00AM-5:30PM PHONE: (361) 578-3546 EMAIL: SALES@CHESNICKS.COM

*On Tempur-Pedic and Stearns & Foster purchases only. See store for details.