OCTOBER 2023 GOOD GOURD! CARVING OUT A FALL TRADITION Pretty porches ISLANDERS GREET FALL WITH CREATIVITY AND COASTAL DÉCOR CHANGING CHORD SALVAGED WOOD FROM TALL SHIP USED TO MAKE GUITARS PLUS » SPINE-TINGLING TOURS FOR EVERY INTEREST OCTOBER 2023 $10.99 COASTMONTHLY.COM 645485005999 BLACK MAGIC MUCH-MALIGNED FELINES BRING JOY AND LUCK TO OWNERS16904 Beachcomber Jamaica Beach 3801 Las Palmas Street Palm Beach, Galveston 19607 Shores Drive Dunes of West Beach, Galveston 1220 Avenue M 1/2 Galveston Outlots, Galveston (281) 794-9463 Kelly@KellyKelley.com www.KellyKelley.com Galveston is my Home. Galveston is my Business. Kelly Kelley Broker Associate Re/Max Leading Edge Featured Listing 25911 Flamingo Drive | Pointe West, Galveston 12833 E. Conquistador Drive Spanish Grant, Galveston 23012 Camino Street Terramar, Galveston 3 Herring Drive New Bayou Vista 3802 Abalone Road Beachside Village, Galveston 16534 Henry Morgan Jamaica Beach COASTMONTHLY.COM | OCTOber 2023 3 1510 Marina Bay Dr., Bldg 124, Clear Lake Shores, Texas 77565 281.334.00064 COASTMONTHLY.COM | OCTOber 2023 OCTOber 2023 | VOLUMe 16 | ISSUe 10 46 40 60 FEATURES 14 PICTURESQUE PORCHES Islanders greet fall with creativity and coastal décor 22 PALETTE PERFECTION Pops of navy, teal and gold bring a seaside twist to the season 34 PIRATE OR PRIVATEER? Islander challenges Jean Laffite’s reputation in musical production 60 ‘MUM MANIA’ How a Louisiana transplant made it her business to carry on a Texas tradition 72 THE BUCK STARTS HERE Accuracy is essential in harvesting Texas whitetails 40 ELECTRIC ELISSA Islander uses salvaged wood from Texas tall ship to make ‘killer guitars’ 46 BLACK MAGIC Much maligned felines bring joy and luck to owners 54 HAUNTED SPACES AND PLACES Skilled guides scare up spine-tingling tours for every interest“My exceptional Galveston team is marketing premier properties from the beaches to the bay — from historic treasures to high-rise condos!” NOTHING COMPARES to WHAT’S NEXT. THE DUNES OF WEST BEACH | 1923 Shores Drive 4+ BR | 4.5 BA | +/-3,070 SF Last list price $1.7+M EVIA Stellar new construction. Mesmerizing lake, golf course and West Bay vista sites. Gourmet island kitchens. Grand downstairs primary suites. Colossal screened porches. 1, 2 and 3 story plans. Priced from the $650’s Proudly marketing for over 15 years! SOLD SOLD SOLDSOLD 745SHIRAZPASSAGEGALVESTON.COM NEW PRICE BEACHTOWN | 745 Shiraz Passage Beachside villa. Outstanding ocean and harbor vistas. Exceptional chef’s kitchen. Impressive primary suite offers private veranda. Short term rental income potential. 3 BR | 2.5+ BA | +/- 2,350 SF Offered at $999,880 MLS 39598390 INDIAN BEACH | 18407 Ease De Vaca Lane 4-5 BR | 4.5 BA | +/- 4,700 SF Last list price $2.6+M OFFATS BAY | 6802 Driftwood Lane 4-5 BR | 3.5+ BA | +/-5,331 SF Last list price $1.9+M EVIA | 8 Broad Street 4 BR | 2.5 BA | +/-2,136 SF | MLS 60450536 Offered at $750,000 by Jenny Overstreet LAFFITE’S COVE | 3523 Cove Lane 6 BR | 6.5+ BA | +/- 5,406 SF Last list price $3.2+M Contact me with all your Real Estate needs. Jim Rosenfeld BROKER ASSOCIATE MTSIR Circle of Excellence Award Winner MTSIR Hall of Fame Member Texas Monthly Magazine Five Star Realtor 2012-2023 Galveston Historic Home Tour Major Underwriter 2011-2023 HomeLight Top 1% Producer 2018 Houstonia Magazine Best Of Houston Realtor 2016 Trulia and Zillow Five Star Rating 713.854.1303 Jim.Rosenfeld@sir.com At Sotheby’s International Realty, our incomparable global partnerships lead to maximum visibility for your treasured property. We partner with premier media powerhouses to introduce your home to local, national & international markets. High quality, richly illustrated & engaging content is delivered across numerous platforms to discerning & sophisticated audiences worldwide. Nothing compares. DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DIST. | 2208 Post Office, #403 3 BR | 2.5+ BA | +/- 1,993 SF | MLS 27393793 Offered at $785,000 by Debbie Ashley SOLD6 COASTMONTHLY.COM | OCTOber 2023 26 ON THE COVER Galveston resident Ashley Garcia adjusts the fall wreath on the front door of her house in the Evia subdivision of Galveston. Wreaths provided by Tom’s Thumb by Cornelius Nursery in Galveston. Photo by Stuart Villanueva DEPARTMENTS 26 HOMEPORT A pirate spirit is celebrated in remodel of once vacant 1914 island house 66 GARDEN VARIETY How a deal with the devil led to a pumpkin-carving tradition 78 COUNTER CULTURE After a tragic fire, island couple rebuilds home with hope and love 84 DOWN HOME A harrowing adventure on the high seas leads to pirate-themed restaurant 88 GAME ON This venison dish is easy to make and can feed hungry crowds 90 TASTE OF TEXAS elevate the fried bologna sandwich with this modern makeover 92 DESSERT ISLAND Serve this nutty, fruity cake for dessert or even breakfast/brunch 94 DOWN THE HATCH bartender is making her presence known at fan-favorite haunt 96 PARTY PICS Find out who made the local party scene 98 SAVE THE DATE Area events to keep your calendar booked 110 SHUTTERBUGS readers share their coastal photos 78 The September Coast Monthly article “The food network” should have said owner Mike Dean has been working at Yaga’s Cafe since its inception but isn’t the founder. CORRECTION 848 COASTMONTHLY.COM | OCTOber 2023 Saturday & Sunday 10am - 1pm Sea Isle Style... Sea Isle Style... CHEF’S FEATURE - $16 Eggs, cream, chopped bacon, onions, jalapeños, cheeses & tomatoes whipped together and baked. Served with hash browns & fruit. DOZEN BEIGNETS - $15 New Orleans style - powdered sugar BREAKFAST TACOS (3) - $15 Flour tortillas, scrambled eggs, refried beans, bacon, cheese & hash browns. Served with fresh fruit & salsa THE SOUTHERN STAMPEDE - $14 Eggs, bacon, waffle, homestyle potatoes FRIED CHICKEN & BUTTERMILK WAFFLES - $15 FRIED SHRIMP & BUTTERMILK WAFFLES - $18 FRENCH TOAST - $16 Traditional French toast served with fruit & bacon LOW COUNTRY SHRIMP & CREAMY GRITS - $18 Creamy grits, shrimp, andouille sausage, NOLA sauce CHICKEN FRIED STEAK & EGGS - $18 1855 beef, homestyle potatoes, toast, eggs THE CHEF STACK - $18 Waffe, southern fried chicken breast, bacon, eggs, buttermilk waffle, homestyle potatoes FOR THE KIDS - $10 One egg, 1/2 waffle, bacon 21706 Burnet • Galveston (409) 497-4152 Reservations Accepted © Copyright: Coast Monthly is published by The Daily News. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA coastmonthly.com EDITOR Laura elder PUBLISHER Leonard Woolsey CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ DESIGN EDITOR Melissa rivera PHOTOGRAPHERS Jennifer reynolds Stuart Villanueva CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Carla Peoples Joey Quiroga Capt. Nate Skinner CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Shannon Caldwell barbara Canetti Christina Mattison ebert Chris Gray Trace Harris b. Scott McLendon Phil Newton Laura Pennino Capt. Nate Skinner Michael A. Smith CHIEF REVENUE DIRECTOR Michelle robinson ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Maureen beans Catherine boudoin Jana Knoell John Nagy Kristi Quigley Donna rhoades MAILING ADDRESS P.O. box 1838 Texas City, TX 77592 EDITORIAL 409.683.5248 ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 409.683.5202 STORY IDEAS editor@coastmonthly.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to editor@coast monthly.com. be sure to include your full name, city, state and phone number. Coast Monthly reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. SUBSCRIPTIONS 409.683.5201TOMORROW Your BUILD Galveston College 4015 Avenue Q, Galveston, TX 77550 GC.EDU 409-944-GCGC SCAN FOR MORE INFORMATION UNIVERSAL ACCESS SCHOLARSHIP FOR ISLAND GRADS It is the policy of Galveston College to provide equal opportunities without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, genetic information or veteran status. Eligible local high school graduates – who received a diploma recently or over a decade ago - and attend Galveston College can receive Universal Access assistance for tuition and fees. Universal Access Scholarships ensure every eligible high school graduate, or equivalent in the Galveston College taxing district, has the opportunity to attend college. For more information about UA scholarships, contact the GC Financial Aid office at 409-944-1235, finaid@gc.edu or scan the QR code below. Applications for Spring 2024 are due November 8, 2023.Next >