< Previous60 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 COUNTER CULTURE “I like to do impromptu entertaining, with the exception of the royal weddings, because if I plan something, that makes me nervous,” she said. “I like to cook for my guests anytime, all the time. If people are here, I just start cooking. People will ask, ‘What are you doing?’ and I just say, ‘I’m going to make something for you,’ and soon 15 people are eating.” Travertine floors of beige and cream, countertops of pearl and gold — Taj Mahal quartzite from Brazil — and cabinets of white and soft gray stand out. White leath- er barstools detailed with nailhead trim offer the best seats in the house because of their proximity to the open living room and its impressive floor-to-ceiling slate- stacked stone fireplace. A separate wet bar mere steps from the living room is where guests like to congregate for cocktails. The bar dominates the room with its gorgeous gold onyx countertop in front of a mirrored wall, flanked by two curio cabinets displaying memorable collectibles. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 61 “The wet bar is cozy, and guests like to convene there, but I’m happiest in front of my stove in the kitchen since that’s the heart and soul of my house,” Osburn said. “I’ve hosted formal dinners, but I prefer sponta- neity and spur-of-the-moment get-togethers where I make something like Italian wed- ding soup. All I need to do is chop some vegetables, add meatballs, orzo and it makes a big pot. Plus, I always have spaghetti sauce and lasagna in the freezer that I’ve prepared in advance.” Osburn seldom looks at cookbooks, because she has most of her recipes in her head, and she rarely measures anything, she said. (From far left) Some of Julie Osburn’s china collection is displayed above the coffee bar in the hall near her open-concept kitchen; the kitchen is done in a palette of cream and soft grays. Glass-fronted upper cabinets dis- play Osburn’s china collection.62 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 COUNTER CULTURE “I do everything by hand, even though I have a Cui- sinart,” she said. “I like getting my hands into dough and playing with it. I’m totally into baking and even made jelly doughnuts recently.” A china cabinet in a hall- way, just a few steps from the kitchen, holds a treasure trove of china, including Wedgwood Queens Ware, MacKenzie-Childs English dinnerware, Royal Doul- ton figurines and a collection of Italian Deruta Ceramica in various patterns. Osburn is a fan of dining outdoors when weather per- mits. Her kitchen opens onto the patio and pool, where she swims daily. A former registered nurse — she worked in cardiology at Houston’s St. Luke’s Hos- pital with Dr. Denton Cooley — Osburn presently co-owns a software business with her husband, Doug. Their two sons and four grandchildren live close by and enjoy vis- iting, knowing there will be homemade cookies and other delights for them to devour. “A few ingredients will make something just as good as something with a lot of components,” Osburn said. “At one dinner party I hosted, a few people asked who catered it. I said that I made it all, so I guess I’m my own caterer.” SMALL BITES Can’t do without: Cangshan German steel knives Heirloom item: Mother’s antique hand-painted and signed rosenthal china Best cooking entertainment: “The Great British Baking Show” (Clockwise from top) A backlit onyx bar is the focal point of the wet bar; a unique lighting fixture hangs above a cozy dining table; colorful glassware is displayed in one of two curio cabinets in the wet bar. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 63 Happy New Home Happy New Year, We can make it happen! Stop by today to get your search underway. David Bowers, Realtor ® 409-763-2800 David@DavidBowers.com The House Company When Only the Best Will Do.When Only the Best Will Do. We Love Working with Designers & Contractors! Kitchen Design, High-End Custom Cabinetry & Gourmet Appliances For Kitchen Remodels and New Homes, Since 1983. • We have a kitchen showroom in Webster • Professional Kitchen Design Services • Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove Gourmet Appliances Bay Area Kitchens 281.338.2737 www.BayAreaKitchens.com 17306 Highway 3 @ Medical Center Blvd. – Webster Appointments Recommended CREAM PUFFS Makes: 12 1 ⁄ 2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup water 1 ⁄ 4 teaspoon salt 1 cup flour 4 eggs Powdered sugar for dusting Heat saucepan with butter, water and salt until it boils. remove from heat. Add flour and beat with wooden spoon until it forms a ball. Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously until incorporated. Cool. Spoon 12 equal portions onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet 3 inches apart. Bake in a 325 F oven for 50 minutes until light brown. Split each cream puff and return to oven for 10 minutes. Turn oven off and let the puffs dry. Insert whipped cream into the split and sprinkle with powdered sugar. WHIPPED CREAM 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons sugar, honey or maple syrup ½ teaspoon vanilla Place mixing bowl and whisk in freezer for 20 minutes to chill. Pour heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla into the cold bowl and whisk on high speed in mixer un- til stiff peaks form; about 1 minute. Do not overbeat.64 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 65 HOMEPORT SIBLING SUCCESS STORY Once abandoned and in disrepair, these island houses have happy futures Story by BARBARA CANETTI | photos by JENNIFER REYNOLDS T he two little houses on Avenue M in Galveston aren’t exactly twins, but more like siblings. They’re from the same period and their styles and layouts are similar. They share the same sad history and experienced similar rescues, and today are viable homes with happy stories. Both houses were built in 1886 as little cottages on full-size lots in a neighborhood of much larger structures. As the island underwent rebuilding after the 1900 Storm, one of the houses was moved onto the lot adjacent to its sister and the two were raised up 12 feet. The coral house, where J.R. and Lisa Shaw live, is a bit larger. An extension built onto the anterior of the house allows for an upstairs front porch and additional floor space in the living room. The couple moved into the house in early 2020 and it needed very little work. “We knew we wanted a historical house with character, and we wanted something with good light,” said J.R., a born-on-the-is- land Galvestonian who has spent most of his life in the seaport city. (Above) The Shaws’ and the Greengolds’ adjacent houses on Avenue M in Galveston were built in 1886. (Op- posite) J.R. and Lisa Shaw and their dog, Skye, found a house with a story when they purchased the 1886 home on Avenue M in Galveston. The house, once home to a Galveston County sheriff, survived the 1900 Storm.66 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 HOMEPORT (Clockwise from top) A 12-foot bar makes the kitchen and dining room perfect for entertaining in J.R. and Lisa Shaw’s 1886 home on Avenue M in Galveston; the hallway on the first floor is a gallery of small paintings by the couple, with a few by friends; a small office area is set up in a nook of the living room. (Opposite, clockwise from top) The master bedroom is on the first floor. A second bedroom, a nursery for J.R. and Lisa Shaw’s newborn, is adjacent through a first-floor bathroom; a small, second-floor bedroom at the back of the house has been converted to a home gym where J.R., a triathlete, trains; a closet in the nursery is stocked and ready for their newborn. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 67 The house had just gone on the market when the couple saw it online and knew it was the one they wanted, the Shaws said. “A lot of the houses we saw looked like they came out of a Sears catalog,” said Lisa, who is the executive director of the Galves- ton Arts Center on The Strand, which offers exhibitions, art education and events. “But this one — you can tell it had a story to it.” Former Galveston County Sheriff Henry Thomas lived in the house more than 100 years ago. Shortly thereafter, according to J.R.’s search of city directories, the house was converted to a duplex — one tiny apartment downstairs and another upstairs. It stayed that way for decades and in time fell into serious disrepair. Eventually, it was abandoned by renters and became a known meeting place for squatters, who settled into both houses, though neither had water or electricity. The two houses — sisters next door — became eyesores in the community; no one was taking responsibility for their upkeep or maintenance. Neighbors called the police, health depart- ment and an array of city officials for several years. Finally, in 2016, a call to then newly elected Councilman Craig Brown inspired action. The houses were condemned and placed on the county auction list, where they were purchased by a contractor, who made serious changes. Both houses became “respected” members of the community and were back on the tax rolls. The Shaws were attracted to the 11-foot- high ceilings, original transoms over the doors and the made-for-entertaining kitchen with its 12-foot-long bar, they said. The main bedroom is downstairs, and a small nursery is a few feet away in time for their newborn. The upstairs of the house in- cludes the comfortable living/dining rooms and a small extra bedroom, now converted into a home gym. The original floors in all the rooms are longleaf pine, a wide plank wood that’s no longer available. “It feels like home,” Lisa said. “We also wanted a small garden, and we have one here.” In the front yard, the couple posted and stocked a tiny library, which resembles the exterior of their house. “This is a busy little library,” said J.R., who works for a Houston port towing company but also has a Galveston-based business of historical running tours, in which he gives history and information about the city while on a 5K or 10K run. “A lot of the houses we saw looked like they came out of a Sears catalog. But this one – you can tell it had a story to it.” LISA SHAW68 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 69 HOMEPORT Next door, Cindy and Jerry Greengold say they love their little place, which has been a great getaway for them. They live in The Wood- lands, but spend frequent weekends and weekdays on Avenue M. When the Greengolds saw the house for sale, they immediately were attracted to the house colors — the yellow door, the white picket fence and the huge tree in the front yard. “This house is the perfect size for us and our dogs,” Cindy said. “We wanted something old and historic, but not a lot of work.” Their house has a split personality. Downstairs is a large living room/dining/kitchen decorated in a beachy motif that includes light colors, white porcelain wood-look tiled floor and an upright boat that serves as a bookshelf. The kitchen is modern, but designed with a retro look featuring shiplap walls, vintage-looking refrigerator (From top) Cindy and Jerry Greengold’s Avenue M home was built in 1886. The first floor, with the living room, kitchen, half bath and pantry, has a coastal feel, while the second floor, which includes part of the original construction, is decorated more to the period the home was built; an antique tea set is displayed in the living room. (Opposite, clockwise from top) The living room has a beach and nautical motif; the Greengolds designed their kitchen with a vintage feel that includes shiplap and retro-looking appliances; an old, stained-glass window hangs in the pass-through of the kitchen, which also features a farmhouse sink and modern dishwasher with a retro look.Next >