What to Do • Where to Dine, Shop & Play • Staub-Designed House Inspired Rental Home Remodels • Events & Activities

SPECIAL SECTION

Facundo Home Builders Brings Galveston Style to the Mainlandwww.facundohomebuilders.com • 281-235-7375 • New Construction

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Galveston may be a mere 50 miles from

downtown Houston, but it is vastly dif-

ferent than the metropolis city. Visitors

immediately feel the difference – as they

drive over the causeway connecting the

island to the mainland. A quick, easy and

interesting weekend getaway is in store

for visitors. Take a look at some of the

things Galveston Island has to offer:

Where to EatShyKatz Deli and Bakery – A funky littleneighborhood restaurant, serving large por-tions for breakfast and lunch. Order at thecounter, meal brought to the table. Self-serve fresh coffee.1528 Avenue L • 409-770-0500www.shykatz.com

DiBella’s Italian Restaurant – The restau-rant where locals congregate. Italian food,steaks and fresh fish. BOI (born on theisland) owner Charley DiBella greets eachdiner at the door.1902 31st Street • 409-763-9036 •www.galveston.com/Dibellas

Olympia – Greek food offers fresh Gulf fishserved at two locations – on the Seawalland at Pier 21. Entertainment occasionally.Pier 21: 100 21st St. • 409-765-0021 •www.olympiapier21.comSeawall: 4908 Seawall Blvd. • 409-766-1222 • www.olympiagrill.net

Mario’s – two locations – on the Seawall(with a great outdoor dining patio) and onthe 61st Street drag. Good Italian food,great pizzas – including gluten free.In town: 2202 61st Street • 409-744-2975www.mariosristorante.comSeawall: • 628 Seawall Blvd.409-763-1693 • www.mariossewall.com

Leon’s World’s Best BBQ – Barbeque theway it is supposed to be cooked. Tastypotato salads and cole slaws and home-

made desserts. Secret is in his specialsauce, developed 25 years ago.5427 Broadway • 409-744-0070www.leonsbbq.com

Pho 18 – Tucked away in a strip shoppingcenter near the medical center. Unassumingdécor, but well done Vietnamese food fresh-ly prepared.704 Holiday Drive • 409-762-8849

Benno’s – wide variety of fresh Gulfseafood, served either inside or outsidewaterfront patio. 1200 Seawall Blvd. • 409-762-4621 • www.bennosofgalveston.com

Café Michael Burger – on the way out tothe West End. Good burgers, chicken andGerman food. Indoor and outdoor casualdining with delightful view of Gulf waters.11150 FM 3005 • 409-740-3639www.cafemichaelburger.com

Taqueria Melchor Ocampo – goodMexican food, great Mexican breakfast. Aneighborhood favorite.1220 23rd Street • 409-497-2281

Mosquito Café – eclectic dining – fresh sal-ads, huge sandwiches and sinful desserts.

Also owns Pattycakes Bakery, across thestreet.Mosquito Café: 628 14th St.409-763-1010 www.mosquitocafe.comPattycakes: 704 14th St. • 409-76-CAKESwww.pattycakes galveston.com

Sunflower – Breakfast and lunch in a brightindoor or covered outdoor restaurant.Inhouse bakery provides fresh breads forenormous sandwiches. 512 14th Street • 409-763-5500 • www.the-sunflowerbakeryandcafe.com

M&M’s – a romantic restaurant in a wonder-ful historic building. Has indoor, outdoor andprivate dining available. 2401 Church Street • 409-766-7170www.MMgalveston.com

Black Pearl – Cajun and seafood. Bar partof restaurant. Casual, lively and noisy. 327 23rd Street • 409-762-7299www.galveston.com/blackpearl

Shearns – Seafood and steaks. 9th floorbayside views, atop Moody Gardens Hotel. 7 Hope Blvd. • 409-741-8484 www.moody-gardenshotel.com

COMPILED BY BARBARA CANETTI

The Hotel Galvez is among hundreds of historic structures on Galveston Island’s East End.

Guide

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Eatcetera – Sandwiches to soups and spe-cials. Owned by nutritionist. 408 25th Street • 409-762-0803www.eatcetera.net

Oasis Juice Bar & Market – smoothies,fresh juices, organic foods, sandwiches,specials. 409 25th St. • 409-762-8446www.oasisjuicebar.com

What to DoThe Grand 1894 Opera House – Nationalhistoric landmark in Downtown Galveston’sCultural Arts District, presenting a year-round performing arts schedule featuringstars of stage and screen, Broadway musi-cals, dance, comedy, theatre, music andmore! 2020 Post Office Street409-765-1894 • www.thegrand.com

NOAA Turtle Tours – free private tours ofthe National Ocean and turtle research facil-ity. Available only one day a week and byappoint only. Lecture and tour of the turtleand home of hundreds of endangered log-gerhead and Kemp’s Ridley turtles.4700 Avenue U • 409-766-3500 www.galve-stonlab.sefsc.noaa.gov/seaturtles/FAQ/

State Park Tours – free demonstrationsand tours of sea life on the Gulf and in thebay. 14901 FM 3005 • 409-737-1222

Galveston Island Ferry ride – free boat ridefor passengers and cars across the bay toBolivar Peninsula. Galveston Ferry BoatLanding • 409-795-2230www.txdot.gov/driver/travel/ferry-schedules.html

Railroad Museum – in the Strand HistoricDistrict. A collection of lavishly restored rail-road cars and train-related exhibits.123 25th St. • 409-765-5744 • www.galve-stonrrmuseum.com

Tree Sculptor tour – self-guided tour ofnumerous tree sculptures across the city.Carved from trees killed during HurricaneIke and now recycled into art. Get map fromVisitor’s Center. 2328 Broadway888-425-4753 • www.galveston.com/visitorscenter

1877 Tall Ship Elissa and Texas SeaportMuseum – Pier 21. The three-mast tall ship,the iron-hulled sailing ship is open for self-guided tours while in dock. The museumtells the story of Galveston’s role as an entrypoint for 133,000 immigrants to the US.Pier 21 • 409-763-1877www.galvestonhistory.org

Duck Tours – take a tour of GalvestonIsland from the land and from sea in a vehi-cle that travels on the road in the water.25th St. & Seawall Blvd. • 409-621-4771www.galvestonducks.com

Sea Wolf Park – a park and a museum,which is a memorial to the USS Seawolf, aUS Navy submarine accidentally sunk byUS forces in World War II. Daily tours.100 Seawolf Blvd. • 409-797-5114www.galveston.com/seawolfpark

Ocean Star – retired jack-up rig is now amuseum of drilling and geological explo-rations. 1900 Harborside Drive 409-766-STAR • www.oceanstaroec.com

Ashton Villa – one of the city’s oldest his-toric mansions (1851) and first brick house.Also home to Galveston Island VisitorsInformation Center.2328 Broadway • 409-765-7834www.galvestonhistory.org

1892 Bishop’s Palace – National historiclandmark – one of the most significant ofVictorian residences in the US. Original inte-riors of exotic materials and period furnish-ings. 1402 Broadway • 409-762-2475www.galvestonhistory.org

Moody Mansion Museum – restored 1895home belonging to Col. Moody and later hisdaughter Mary Moody Northen. Designedby Nicholas Clayton.2618 Broadway • 409-762-7668www.moodymansion.org

Moody Gardens – IMAX, private beach &pool, gardens, aquarium and more.7 Hope Blvd. • 409-741-8484 www.moodygardenshotel.com

Schlitterbahn – waterpark with slides,chutes, lagoons, cabanas2026 Lockheed St. • 409-770-9283www.schlitterbahn.com

Pleasure Pier – amusement park andBubba Gump restaurant over the Gulf ofMexico. 2501 25th at Seawall 866-927-0638 • www.pleasurepier.com

Sublime Motorsports – jet ski rentals andbanana boat rides1001 Seawall • 409-370-6411www.galvestonbeaches.net

Art Walk – galleries in The Strand area andthroughout area open, with live music, wine,etc. Every 6-8 weeks (June 7 and July 12) www.galveston.com/artwalk

Events & ActivitiesFarmers’ Market – each Sunday. Locallygrown produce and prepared foods. 2508Post Office • 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Shop, eat and play at Pleasure Pier.

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Saengerfest Park – free movies, live music,artist markets, food events. Various times.2300 Strand • www.galveston.com/saenger-festpark/calendar.com

July 4th Fireworks – www.galveston.comfor time and place.

Best UnexploredPlacesSacred Places – tours of local historicalchurches and cemeteries. GalvestonHistorical Foundationwww.Galvestonhistory.org

The Rosenberg Library – Galveston andTexas History Center, the library’s archivesand museum are free to the public.Historical artifacts, maps, charts and docu-ments pertaining to the Gulf Coast,Caribbean, dating back to the 16th century.2310 Sealy • 409-763-8854 www.rosen-berg_library.org

Galvez Hotel Museum – hidden in a littlenook on the floor below the front desk, pho-tographs and documents of the hotel’s 100-year legacy along with the city’s history.2024 Seawall Blvd. • 409-765-7721 •www.galveston.com/galvez

The Lighthouse on Bolivar Peninsula –decommissioned in 1933, the lighthouse isno longer used. It is not open to the publicbut can be seen upon approaching Bolivarfrom the ferry. Built in 1847, it stands 65-feethigh.

Local FavoritesETC Theatre – only local residential theatercompany on the island. Call for schedule.2317 Mechanic409-762-3556 • www.islandetc.org

Old Quarter Acoustic Café – the mostinteresting bar in the city. Live music – local,regional and national performers – in an inti-mate, close-up environment.413 20th Street • 409-762-9199 www.oldquarteracousticcafe.com

The Beach Hut – A true tiki bar on thebeach. Free live music most weekends,with a short menu of beach foods.

731 Seawall • 409-770-0089www.thebeachhutgalveston.com

LaKings Confectionary on the Strand –Fresh scooped ice cream, milk shakes andcoffees in an old-fashioned setting. Candymaking demonstrations.2323 Strand • 409-762-6100www.lakingsconfectionary.com

Sonny’s Place – A beer and burger neigh-borhood restaurant – for 64 years. A desti-nation for UTMB medical students fordecades. Fresh crawfish, shrimp and oys-ters in season.1206 19th Street • 409-763-9602www.galveston.com/sonnys

Smooth Tony’s – backyard patio for burg-ers, beer, music and freshly made smooth-ies. Local musicians play in the outdoors.Free.415 9th Street • 409-765-5200www.smoothtonys.com

Murdoch’s Bathhouse – Although this is ashell and souvenir shop, rocking chairs linean outdoor area in the center of the building,a perfect place for a cold drink and look outat the Gulf.2215 Seawall Blvd. • 409-762-7478www.galveston.com/murdochbathouse

ShoppingTina’s on the Strand – home furnishings,jewelry and eclectic women’s clothes andaccessories. A huge selection of scentedcandles. 2326 Strand St. • 409-762-6816www.tinasonthestrand.com

Hendley Market - A most interesting store– a mix of international trinkets, books,antiques. In the city’s first commercial build-ing, erected in 1858.2010 Strand • 409-762-2610www.hendleymarket.com

Antique Warehouse – Overwhelming! Thereare so many tables, chairs, buffets andother unique furniture pieces here. Seeupstairs. 423 25th Street • 409-762-8620

Head to Footsies – Nice selections ofwomen’s clothes and shoes. Wide range ofsizes. Light weight styles perfect for island

living. 2211 Strand • 409-762-2727www.headtofootsies.wix.com

Tom’s Thumb Nursery – Besides an unbe-lievable selection of live plants and trees,there is also a cute shop filled with seaside-themed furniture and furnishings.2014 45th Street • 409-763-4713 www.tomsthumbnursery.com

Kitchen Chick – Everything you didn’tknow you needed for a fabulous kitchen.Good quality pots, pans, utensils, plus lotsof hands-on help and cooking lessons.528 23rd Street409-497-2999www.thekitchenchick.com

NightlifeThe Spot – This is the spot: it is a restau-rant, tiki bar, rum shack, sports bar andromantic getaway – all in one. Don’t let theline up of motorcycles scare you away – it isfamily friendly with a good menu, too.3204 Seawall Bvd. • 409-621-5237 www.thespotgalveston.com

Float Pool & Patio Bar – Cozy Seawallrestaurant and bar with large outdoor pres-ence – including a pool. 2828 Seawall Blvd. 409-765-7946 www.yagapresents.com/float

Captain Jack’s – Seawall club with livemusic most weekends. Attached to a hotel,but its open air bar attracts locals as well asvisitors. 1702 Seawall Blvd. • 409-762-4141www.galveston.com/captainjacks/

Tremont House bar – A romantic rooftopbar – one of the best places to watch thesunset over the harbor.2300 Ships Mechanic Row • 409-763-0300www.galveston.com/tremont

21 Wine and Martini Bar – Dancing andcocktails – full service bar with over 100wines, 20 different martinis. Live music onweekends.21022 Post Office Street409-762-2101 • www.galveston.com/21/

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Houston interior designer Dennis McNabb has been a fan of

architect John Staub since he moved to Houston in 1972.

That’s why he couldn’t say no to the house at 3815 Bernardo

de Galvez (Avenue P) when it came on the market in Galveston

two years ago.

“I was driving down the street, having been to Tom’s Thumb

Nursery, and I saw this incredible house with a for sale sign. “

Within the hour he was standing in the living room with part-

ner, Bill Patterson, and realtor Tom Schwenk.

“I knew this was my only chance to ever live in a John Staub

house,” McNabb said. He took the plunge.

The newly restored home will be featured on the historic

homes tour the first two weekends of this month. The

Galveston Historical Foundation arranges for privately owned,

historic homes to be open to the public once each year. This

year’s tour features nine homes.

John Staub-Designed Home OpensIn Galveston for Public Touring

3815 Bernardo de

Galvez Ave. (Ave. P.)

(Photo by David Bowers,

The House Company

Real Estate.)

Step Inside A John Staub HouseBY MARSHA CANRIGHT

Cotton exporter William C. Helmbrecht, and his wife, Marie,

hired the renowned Houston architect to design the red brick

home in 1928. The couple lived in the house for 20 years

before moving to Dallas.

“The greatest joy has been seeing the house come back to

life, like a well executed facelift, and bringing it into the 21st

century,” McNabb says.

It was not their desire to have an extravagant bathroom or

huge walk-in closets.

“It’s an easy, comfortable house to live in,” he adds. “The

bones are good and its interiors are pleasing to the soul.”

The renovation of the house was not that challenging, says

McNabb.

“We were presented with the ledger that Staub’s office had

assembled which contained all of the architectural drawings, the

specifications, even the landscape plan done by C.C (Pat)

Fleming,” he says.

The Staub house is built with flash-

fired Clinker brick. The iron fence

dated back to the 1880s and belonged

to the previous house, which was

destroyed in the 1900 Storm.

The French mantel and Austrian mirror were purchased by William and MarieHelmbrecht when they furnished the house in 1928.

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“Our intention was to preserve and renovate the structure

as closely as possible. As the house is approximately 80 per-

cent original, it was not a challenge to achieve this.”

There were a few surprises. The public formal living spaces

were painted Prussian blue.

“It’s a little too much for my preferred neutral color palette,

but again it was 1928,” he says. The house is a retreat for

McNabb who lives in a high-rise in Houston.

“It’s an understated elegance . . . a classic enduring design,”

explains McNabb.

“The overall architectural ambiance just speaks for itself.

This world-class architect had a tremendous sense of style.”

Staub came to Houston in 1921 and established his firm

in 1923. Raised in Tennessee and educated at the University

of Tennessee and Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Staub is known for harmonious proportions, elegant detail,

and fine materials.

Renovation SourcesChuck Morris Interestswww.chuckmorrishomes.com, 281-808-9627 (Galveston)

Christensen’s Electrical Servicewww.christensenelectrical, 409-526-2156 (Galveston)

Walker Zangerwww.walkerzanger.com, 713-880-9292 (Houston)

Dyer Island Plumbing409-762-0541 (Galveston)

Schenck & Companywww.schenckandcompany.com, 713-266-7608 (Houston)

Mclean Metal Workswww.mcleanmetalworks.com, 409-762-7202 (Galveston)

Alcon LIghtcraft Companywww.alconlightcraft.com, 713-526-0680 (Houston)

Tom Schwenk/The House Company www.thehousecompany.com, 409-763-8030 (Galveston)

Kiva Kitchen & Bathwww.kivabath.com, 713-781-2222

The flooring is cream and brown marble that was salvaged from a commer-cial building in Galveston. The house has shuttered French windows andnine sets of shuttered French doors.

McNabb renovated the kitchen to look like a 1928 kitchen with 21st centuryconveniences. The new cabinets are copies of the ones in the butler'spantry, which are original to the house. The stove is an Itallian Bertazzoni.

The upstairs landing features a brilliant red Chinese rug that McNabbpurchased at a Santa Fe flea market. The art on either side of thecouch is from WPA artists Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood.

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The “Yellow Submarine” and “Nantucket” are vacation rentals.

The Crossers hand-picked the reclaimed 19th century lumber for the shiplap wall. The coffee table once held lobsters at Gaido’s restaurant.

Wood Inspiration

BY SUSAN FOX • PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RATHBUN

& Other Ideas You Can Take BackHome – After the Vacation Ends

Derick Crosser briefly wondered if his 1915-era Nantucket-style islandhouse contained too many colors. His concern stemmed, in part, fromthe myriad of hues reflected on the reclaimed painted lumber used on afew accent walls.

But an artist friend of Derick and wife Susy’s put his mind at ease.Think of landscapes dotted with flowers of all colors, she told him. Noone stops to consider if the colors clash or go together. It is a beautifulsight – just like Crosser’s carpentry work.

Old wood also creates interest at the kitchen island. Photo courtesy of the Yellow Submarine.

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Well-directed instincts rule in the Crosser’s Galveston island short-term rental, which they call the Yellow Submarine.

The house gets its moniker thanks to a downstairs room – a child’sdelight actually – where sleeping quarters have been painted to look likea submarine.

The Crossers belong to an organization called STROAG – ShortTerm Rental Owners Association of Galveston. Many STROAG mem-bers have used their own funds to return dilapidated and nearly con-demned homes back to their original glorious state of being.

The Crosser home is just one of them. It is striking – because of therather unique architectural design, the serene interiors and beach-themed appointments.

Each member home is located on Galveston and available to rent –for weekends or longer.

STROAG makes it easy for island visitors to enjoy a home steeped inhistory, and possessing Old-World charm and architectural significance –without having to do any restoration work themselves.

The Crosser’s home was once a single family home. But after WorldWar II, it was divided into two residences since there was a shortage ofrental space.

The Crossers removed the Sheetrock in several places within thehouse to install wood recovered from various pre-1900 home excava-tion piles.

Small handprints can be seen on once piece of salvaged wood layeredfor a shiplap effect in the upstairs living area.

Derick Crosser says the handprints belong to the grandchildren ofthe owner of Simps, a soul-food restaurant. The restaurant owner’s old19th century home had been torn down.

Although the shiplap conveys an old beachy look, he says he broughtin color specialist Jhonny Langer to help him re-create a historic colorpalette appropriate to the original era of the house.

Langer’s color sleuthing skills helped Crosser decide on the paintcolors for the house exterior.

The enduring appeal of shiplap also can be found at anotherSTROAG-member home. Do-it-yourselfers Troy Leek and JeannaCrookshanks, owners of the Blue Crab, used a new yet atypical materialto create the homey yesteryear look.

Crookshanks says the bathroom of their early 1900 cottage needed afacelift badly. The walls featured several different materials. Initially, thecouple thought about Sheetrock.

“But we don’t know how to Sheetrock,” she says. So they walkedthe aisles of Home Depot brainstorming various options. Leek stoppedwhen they got to a stack of Hardi-Plank siding.

“This looks like wood but doesn’t act like wood,” he toldCrookshanks. The two of them were concerned about the woodexpanding in a wet and humid bath environment.

She says it was easy to install and looks like the real McCoy. Clint Smith, owner of Periwinkle Cottage, says he used old

reclaimed wood a different way.“I built the kitchen table and alcove seating myself in the kitchen.

Scott Hanson from the Antique Warehouse game me instructions onhow to assemble the table, and then he sold me the two old pedestalsthat came from a grounded ship, which I used to secure the table to thefloor,” explains Smith.

The STROAG group Web site – www.stroag.org – offers links toeach member house, offering photos and details. Each is available forshort-term rental – with some offering even longer times, if needed.

The 29 members of STROAG say they are dedicated to improvingthe island community for guests as well as the surrounding homesand businesses.

Above and Below: Olivette guest house and owner, Helen Stroud.

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Names and Contacts of Rental HomesMentioned or Pictured

Blue Crab Bungalow1316 Avenue N409-789-8422

Cottage on 14th Street1111 14th Street713-822-1648

Olivette3224 Avenue N 1/2281-639-4291

Periwinkle Cottage1915 50th Street713-459-3162

The YellowSubmarine/Nantucket2402 Avenue P713-894-7816

Above & Below: The Cottage on 14th Street. Below: The colorful Blue Crab; the green bath walls are actually Hardi-Plank.

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