Bold and beautiful GALVESTON’S OSTENTATIOUS PEACOCKS INSPIRE AWE AND ANNOYANCE MARCH 2025 $10.99 COASTMONTHLY.COM 645485005999 STRANGE BIRD FELLOWS ISLAND WELCOMES RARE FEATHERED FRIENDS MARCH 2025 HAWK WATCH GROUPS KEEP TABS ON BIRDS OF PREY CARVING A NICHE ARTIST CREATES BIRDS FROM WOOD(713) 598-6719 • Marylouise@CaravellaCoastal.com • www.CaravellaCoastal.com 13655 FM 3005 Suite B, Galveston, TX 77554 (Corner of 12 Mile Rd and FM 3005) 14131 Grambo Blvd On Golf Course, Pirates Cove 3408 Jolly Roger Waterfront Pirates Cove on 2 Lots The Harbor, Waterfront 3511 Cross Bones Waterfront Pirates Cove Laffites Cove, Waterfront 13338 Binnacle Way Nature Preserve Laffites Cove 1745 Seaside Drive Beachfront Beachtown 17009 San Luis Pass Road 2.3 AC Beachfront 131719 Windlass Circle Waterfront Laffites Cove 3414 Petite Circle Pirates Cove Waterfront Featured Listing Galveston is my Home. Galveston is my Business. Marylouise Caravella, | Owner/Broker SO SOLDSO SOLD COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2025 3 1510 Marina Bay Dr., Bldg 124, Clear Lake Shores, Texas 77565 281.334.00064 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2025 MArCH 2025 | VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 3 2024 44 FEATURES 14 MAGNIFICENT AND MADDENING Ostentatious peacocks on Galveston’s West End inspire both awe and annoyance 20 FEATHERED AND FAR BETWEEN Enthusiasts flock to the island in hopes of spotting several rare species of birds 50 ON A MISSION League City rocket engineer has turned gratitude into an art form 72 DANCING TO DUBLIN Clear Falls High School senior prepares to compete in Irish world championships 24 HAWK-EYED ATTENTION Groups keep watch as hundreds of thousands of birds of prey fly through Galveston area 44 CARVING A NICHE Hitchcock artist finds great satisfaction and success creating bay birds from wood“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. BEACHTOWN | 729 Ramsar Road 4-5 BR | 3 BA | +/- 2,386 SF Last list price $999,880 EVIA, The Preserve At Grand Beach, Laffite’s Cove 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 SOLD THEGALVESTONIAN509.COM7109BROADWAYGALVESTON.COM THE GALVESTONIAN | 1401 E. Beach Drive, #509 Captivating beachfront condo. Sweeping ocean vistas. Exceptional chef’s kitchen. Impressive primary bedroom. Luxurious quartz bath. Short term rental income potential. 1 BR | 1 BA | +/- 576 SF | MLS 71108686 Offered at $424,880 PALM COVE | 7109 BROADWAY Breathtaking bayfront sanctuary. Commanding unobstructed bay vistas. Gorgeous bespoke finishes. Epicurean kitchen. Expansive primary suite offers private veranda & spa-style bath. Outstanding boat house. 3 BR | 2.5 BA | +/- 2,494 SF | MLS 8866555 Offered at $799,880 Co-listed Kiki Wilson INDIAN BEACH | 18407 East De Vaca Lane 4-5 BR | 4.5 BA | +/- 4,700 SF Last list price $2.6+M BEACHTOWN | 2445 East Seaside Drive 4-5 BR | 4.5 BA | +/- 3,528 SF | MLS 44246365 Offered at $4.2+M listed by Leslie Buratti TIKI ISLAND | 1302 MAUI DRIVE +/- 16,596 SF LOT | MLS 38028394 Offered at $1.7+M EVIA | 118 Island Passage 3-4 BR | 2.5+ BA | +/- 3,089 SF Last list price $999,880 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 2012-2024 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 EVIA | 13 Compass Circle 3 BR | 2.5 BA | +/- 1,965 SF Last list price $774,880 SOLD6 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2025 68 ON THE COVER A peacock shows off its feath- ers on Galveston’s West End. Photo by Stuart Villanueva DEPARTMENTS 30 HOOKED Gusty March offers plenty of angling action 34 GARDEN VARIETY roselle hibiscus is easy to grow, eye-pleasing and edible 38 HOMEPORT Seven mirror-imaged houses were designed to ‘look like Galveston’ 54 TREASURE TROVE Vintage glassware collection grows into Etsy business 56 DOWN THE HATCH An island wine shop owner aims to save the red wine from the ‘Sideways Effect’ 58 DOWN HOME This quick meal is a hit with picky eaters and the grown-ups who cook for them 62 TASTE OF TEXAS In some parts, this raw beef dish stirs fiery debate about how to serve it 64 GAME ON Properly tenderizing venison meat makes for an unbeatable dish 38 66 DESSERT ISLAND Well-blended carrots are the key to this Brazilian version of a popular cake 68 SHIP SHAPE How an island resort came to offer the wildly popular pickleball sport 78 PARTY PICS Find out who made the local party scene 84 SAVE THE DATE Area events to keep your calendar booked 56 88 SHUTTERBUGS readers share their coastal photos8 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2025 12 EVIA MAIN UNIT 1201 GALVESTON, TEXAS 77554 WWW.EMPOURIA.COM 409.295.4096 Call-ahead, Curbside & Delivery options available GENERAL STORE & POUR ROOM • Wine by the Taste, Glass, or Bottle • Over 140 curated wines to shop • Unique sundries and housewares • Gourmet snacks and local craves • Indoor and patio seating available © Copyright: Coast Monthly is published by The Daily News. 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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.Next >