< Previous70 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 FEATURE Women’s Conference 2025 Mary Ellen Doyle Legacy Woman of the Year. “I began playing mahjong in 1993,” Joy said. “I played bridge, and friends had asked if I played mahjong. They convinced me I would love it. So, after I mastered the art of playing, I realized how much fun it was and how challenging it was. It keeps your mind and brain working all the time.” Mahjong is a four-player tile-based game that originated in south China in the mid to late 1800s. Like poker or gin rummy, mahjong operates on the interplay between chance and skill. Chinese icons are visible in the tiles’ “suits,” which include bamboos and circles that represent ancient Chinese curren- cy; arrows or “dragons,” which symbolize the ancient art of archery; and flowers, which represent the four Confucian plants, includ- ing chrysanthemum and orchid, according to National Geographic magazine. There are more than 40 iterations of the game across the world, author Annelise Heinz wrote in her bestselling book “Mah- jong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture.” “The rhythms of mahjong are especially conducive to building community,” Heinz has said. “Whereas the shuffling of cards in between poker games takes mere seconds, mahjong players must sit through extended pauses to reset tiles after every round. The interval of respite encourages conversation.” The game is so popular mahjong groups meet weekly across the island. Informal groups of four to 10 players who are led by Joy have been playing at Blake’s Bistro for years. Joy’s group is comprised of two tables of four players, and they start playing around mid to late morning, said Paul Schultz, vice president of hospitality at The San Luis Resort, 5222 Seawall Blvd. “The atmosphere at The San Luis Resort is light and airy, and the employees are always courteous and accommodating,” Joy said. “We all take a short break and buy our own lunch around noon. Blake’s has an ideal menu for us — salads, sliders, sandwiches, soups and other lunch menu options. The servers make sure we have coffee and tea all afternoon.” Mahjong has both social and cognitive benefits, said Vaiani, who learned to play in 2008. “I love these ladies,” she said. “Playing is always enjoyable. The game is good for your “I love these ladies. Playing is always enjoyable. The game is good for your mind, and I love the camaraderie.” CHERYL VAIANI COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 71 Small Spaces BIG Impact Dare to Dream Serving the greater Houston, Galveston area through Austin, San Antonio Simplicity from Design to Installation Schedule an appointment now 3622 85th Street, Galveston www.quickquickcabinets.com (409) 454-8500 Home of Jeff & Kerri Taylor Richard (Opposite) A winning mahjong hand is displayed during a weekly game at Grotto at The San Luis Resort in Galveston. Mahjong is a four-player tile- based game that originated in south China in the mid to late 1800s. (Below) Themed napkins are set out for a weekly mahjong group. In September, Grotto will host Tuesday Tiles where mahjong novices and veterans can play the game. mind, and I love the camaraderie.” Joy Fertitta has words of wisdom for people who wonder about the difficulty of mahjong. “You have to play and make your mistakes and go on to the next round,” she said. “It is a game of skill and luck. You must know your card with the hands that are on the card to be played. The secret is to always play by the rules.” Starting in September, Grotto at The San Luis Resort will host Tuesday Tiles from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For $30 a person plus tax and gratuity, mahjong novices and veterans can play the game with access to a lunch buffet featuring soups, salads and des- serts as well as unlimited servings of coffee, tea and water. “Most of our mahjong players are in their late 50s and older, but we are starting to see an interest among younger folks looking for a place to play or who are interested in learning more about the game,” Schultz said. “We are seeing a consistent level of play all year round, and we have been seeing it grow in popularity more recently.” L orraine Rey Isaacs Hofeller was only 4 years old when she and her family were bracing for “the blow” to hit Galveston Island on Sept. 8, 1900. At the time, the Isaacs lived in a two-story house at 2012 Broadway in Galveston. Fortunately, all four Isaac family members and their house, which is no longer there, survived the Category 4 hurricane that remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Estimates of the human death toll ranged from 6,000 to 12,000 on the upper Texas coast. The exact death toll is a mys- tery because of the magnitude of the storm’s destruction and the challenges emergency responders faced in keeping accurate records of the dead while attempting to support the living. Many thousands of horses, mules, dogs, cats and chickens also perished because of the ferocity of the wind and the waves from the storm. Homes, shops and commercial buildings were leveled or rendered unfit for use. Galveston survived and rebounded and so did the Isaacs family. Houston resident Laurie Kuper Bricker, Lorraine’s grand- daughter, self-published “My Grandmother’s Ring: A Memoir of Lorraine Rey Isaacs Hofeller.” The book is based on the memories of Hofeller’s life as shared with Bricker. When she died in 2002 at age 106, Hofeller, affectionately known as “Meme,” was recognized in her obituary as the last known survivor of the 1900 Storm. The ring referenced in the book’s title was Hofeller’s engage- ment ring, which Bricker inherited. Bricker will read a chapter of her book during her sold-out Sept. 6 lecture at The Bryan Museum in Galveston. “My grandmother, her brother Morty and their parents were at their home when ‘the blow,’ as they called it then, hit the island,” Bricker said. “My grandmother remembered that during the worst of the storm, she was sitting on her mother’s lap in the dining room. Morty was 10 years old. He sat on one chair, and he pushed another chair over so that his legs ex- tended across both chairs. They sat there throughout the night.” The Isaacs’ home sustained minor damage, but memories of the storm and the fear it invoked never escaped Lorraine, Bricker said. “The only damage was that the transom over the door broke, and Lorraine’s father nailed a board up so that water wouldn’t come into the house,” Bricker 72 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 CURRENTS | BOOKS BRACING FOR THE ‘BLOW’ Book tells life story of the last known survivor of the 1900 Storm story by LAURA PENNINO “As the afternoon turned to evening, the storms became more violent. I saw the palm trees bending from the strong winds, and the magnolia trees, always draping their pungent flowers, now bent over, touching their fragile blossoms to the ground. I imagined the tide must be very strong in the Gulf. The lightning was frequent and seared across the Gulf sky, followed by drum booms of thunder.” From “My Grandmother’s Ring: A Memoir of Lorraine Rey Isaacs Hofeller” COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 73 Houston resident Laurie Kuper bricker wrote a book based on the memories of her grandmother Lorraine rey Isaacs Hofeller, who was recognized as the last known survivor of the 1900 Storm. bricker will read a chapter of her book during her sold-out Sept. 6 lecture at The bryan Museum in Galveston. p HOTO: COU r T e SYsaid. “The rooms, including the ceilings, were wallpapered. My grandmother remembered her father using his walking stick to poke a hole in the ceiling where the wallpaper was bulg- ing with rainwater. The water gushed into the house. She nev- er forgot the fear she felt when that happened.” Hofeller told Bricker that the day after the storm, she left with her mother and brother by way of a dray, which is a horse- or mule-drawn flatbed wagon. They boarded a ship from Galveston to Dickinson, and from there, they continued their journey by land to Houston. “Lorraine’s father stayed behind because of the potential of looters,” Bricker said. “After a few weeks, Lorraine, her moth- er and her brother returned to the island, which, of course, was devastated by the damage and the loss of over 8,000 lives. Galveston survived and slowly began to rebuild. I didn’t know at the time that the storm was the single-most important de- terminant that Galveston would never become the centerpiece, the state capital or a major city in Texas.” 74 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 Ifyou’relookingforabirthdaycelebrationthat’smore thancakeandcandles,we’vegotyoucovered. AttheGalvestonChildren’sMuseum,yourchildand theirfriendscanexplore,create,andplayinexhibits thatwillsparkimaginationandjoy.Evenbetter,we takecareofthecleanup! What’sincluded: Privatepartyroom AlldayAdmission StressFreeSetup andCleanup OptionalPartyAdd-ons SensoryParty NeonParty SilentDisco GALVESTONCHILDREN’SMUSEUM CHECK USOUT! 2618BroadwaySt. Galveston,TX 409-572-2544 galvestoncm.org MakeTheirBirthday at unforgettable Dance Party Art Room Glow Party CURRENTS | BOOKS (Above) Lorraine Rey Isaacs Hofeller’s descendants pictured with Lorraine’s daughter Elaine Hofeller Kuper, front, on her 100th birthday Nov. 16, 2022. (Below) Elaine and Marion Hofeller, children of Lorraine and Sigmar, in Galveston in the 1920s. p HOTOS: COU r T e SY “My Grandmother’s ring: A Memoir of Lorraine rey Isaacs Hofeller” is available for purchase on Amazon.com. COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 75 Compassionate Guidance in Your Time of Need. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has been serving Galveston County and surrounding areas with empathy and reverence for several decades. Our roots are deeply ingrained in the community by standing side by side with families as they take their first steps towards healing. During this time, you will seek guidance from someone who understands the needs of families in celebrating the life of their loved one with dignity. Making sure that we take all precautions in maintaining a safe environment to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of everyone. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has always been at the forefront of making sure the families we serve receive our utmost attention and care. We look forward to being your source for compassionate care and exemplary service. We stand ready to help you honor your loved one by keeping the tradition of offering “Quality, Distinctive and Professional Service”. 3828 Ave O | Galveston, TX 77550 409.762.8470 E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary Favorites Buy it now! Easy Cooking, Texas Gulf Style COASTMONTHLY.COM/ COOKBOOK76 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 77 IT’S TACKLE TIME ready your gear for the best fishing of the year story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER W ith September upon us, the end of relentless sum- mertime heat is in sight. We aren’t quite there. Sep- tember will deliver some downright scorching days. But fall is on the horizon, and so is some of the best fishing of the year. As the days get cooler, redfish, speckled trout and flounder will become more aggressive as they snap out of their late summer lull. It’s the perfect time to ensure you’re geared up to take advantage of the excellent angling oppor- tunities our upper coast waters will soon afford. There are two new reels on the market that all anglers should consider adding to their arsenal. Both are made by TRIKA and they’re durable, light and smooth. The MirrOlure Lil John is a great soft plastic to add to your arsenal for fall fishing opportunities.Anglers who prefer bait-casting reels will want to check out the TRIKA Ti100. It sports a 45-point micro-adjustment cast control braking system, which allows you to fine tune it to perform optimally with whatever you’re throwing. It has a stout, smooth drag system and is the only reel on the market with full ceramic bearings. This means the bearings are not sus- ceptible to corrosion and can withstand the abuse from a harsh saltwater environment. If spinning reels are your jam, you need to get your hands on the TRIKA Ti3000. It’s well balanced and has a fully sealed body that blocks water, salt, sand and debris. With 15 pounds of drag, this spinning reel is ready to take on whatever our bays and marshes throw its way. Having a quality landing net on the boat is an afterthought to a lot of anglers, at least until they lose a fish to inferior equipment. Regardless, if you are in the market for a new net, you’ll want to consider picking up the Titan Landing Net from AFTCO. The company boasts that it’s the last net you’ll ever need, and I have to agree with them. The net is made in the United States and comes with a lifetime guarantee. It has an extendable locking handle and is down- right tough. I’m using the 21-inch hoop model and it works great for speckled trout, redfish and flounder. Soft plastics rigged on a jig head are going to be a staple this fall for catching a variety of fish. One soft plastic that you can’t go wrong with is the MirrOlure Lil John. The bait is scented and comes in a plethora of color patterns. It’s also round, so its near impossi- ble put it on a jig head wrong. MirrOlure Lil Johns are durable and just simply catch fish. If you’re looking for a new swim bait or paddle tail soft plastic, look into the Scentsa- tion Pro Swimmer by Big Bite Baits. I like to throw the 3.8-inch model. The lure is ribbed and has an excellent swimming motion thanks to its large paddle tail. This allows the bait to emit plenty of vibration. The Scentsation Pro Swimmer also is scent- ed, which adds to its fish-catching ability. Crankbaits aren’t just for freshwater. They will catch plenty of speckled trout, redfish and flounder, too. One crankbait I throw often, especially over rocks, rip rap or heavy shell, is the ATV Squarebill crankbait by Bill Lewis. The shape of this lure’s square bill allows it to deflect off just about any hard structure without getting hung up. This promotes some aggressive reaction strikes, as it crawls over and through heavy structure where gamefish are waiting to ambush their prey. There are some great angling opportuni- ties this month, and there are even better opportunities coming up soon. Make plans to ready your gear for the best time of the year, and go into the fall prepared and ready to catch ’em. 78 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 HOOKED (Above) The TRIKA Ti3000 spinning reel helped bring this red to the boat so that it could be landed with the AFTCO Titan landing net. (Right) The Bill Lewis ATV Squarebill crankbait will deflect off of hard structure and promote aggressive reaction strikes from gamefish that are waiting to ambush their prey. COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2025 79 REAL ESTATE EXCELLENCE Coastal Since 1974 12922 Jolly Roger Drive Treasure Island 3 BR, 2 BA, 1,595 sq ft $550,000 4 Dana Drive Pirates Cove Townhomes 2 BR, 2 BA, 1,159 sq ft $399,000 7000 Seawall Blvd. #831 The Dawn Condo 2 BR, 2 BA, 1,167 sq ft $378,500 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT LISTING AGENT Rocio Prida 409.692.0677 | rocio @ sandnsea.com THANKS FOR NOMINATING Network Funding for Best Mortgage Lender! Matt Hawkes | Branch Manager matt.hawkes@nflp.com | (713) 521-0413 Apply at nflp.com/matthawkes 1009 Broadway St., Galveston, TX 77550 MLO NMLS# 201887 Apply for a mortgage with Matt! COAST MONTHLY delivered to your inbox! galvnews.com/ newsletters Sign up for our monthly newsletterNext >