< Previous40 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 HOMEPORT her quilting art in a variety of styles — geometric, patriotic, nautical, sunbursts and starbursts, as well as a salute to her husband’s U.S. Marine Corps service. Against the window overlooking the wa- ter is a large slab table made from a dying sweet gum tree Rocky cut down decades ago. He chained it to the back of his car, dragging it along the concrete road to help level it and then refinished it with coats of polyurethane. He made two additional side tables from that tree stump. “They are going nowhere,” she said. “They are heavy, indestructible and solid.” The kitchen, with birch cabinets, has room for a table. But it just wasn’t big enough for family gatherings, she said. When large groups assemble at the com- COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 41 (From far left) Denise Parsons and her late husband, Rocky, inherited a pool when they and a neighbor purchased and split a lot after Hurricane Ike in 2008. The couple added a two-story pool house with an outdoor kitchen underneath; the second floor of the pool house features a small room where Parsons displays a few of her quilts; the four-story guest house features a large dining area. PHOTOS: CO ur T e SY MYL e S ST r AN e PHOTOG r APHY pound, they retreat to the guest house for sit-down meals. Parsons’ often finds herself running back and forth between the houses. “I definitely get my steps in every day just making the rounds here,” she said. The four-story guesthouse is rare on Tiki Island, but from the top the view of the community is great. “And because of all the windows, we can see all the fireworks shows in all directions,” she said. Start your next chapter with our weight loss surgery team. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, our team at St. Luke’s Health is ready to help you on your path to success. You will have the support of our doctors, nurses, and nutritionists every step of the way. Our weight loss program is built to fi t your individual needs. Many have gone before you to experience spectacular success. It’s your turn now. Start a new chapter, with a new you. Learn more at StLukesHealth.org/WeightLoss.44 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE A ZEN SPACE Cookbook author creates a serene and nourishing island kitchen story by BARBARA CANETTI photos by JENNIFER REYNOLDS T he kitchen in Laura Moore’s beach- front home is a special place. The view from her West End Galveston home overlooking the Gulf of Mexico is calm and serene. The updates she and her husband, Don Sanders, made in their four-bedroom house in the past year qualifies it as her Zen space. Painting everything white, off-white or ecru turned the house into their peaceful retreat to entertain family and friends. “I grew up in Friendswood and spent many summers in Galveston,” Moore said. “It is a special place and time for me and my family.” Moore recently retired as director of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston-School of Public Health’s Nourish Program. During her time there, Moore helped create an organic garden, kitchen classroom for food demonstrations and authored a lovely cookbook, “Nourish: How Good Food Works From Seed to Plate.” The couple purchased their Galveston home in February 2021, but didn’t move into it for another 11 months. Her daughter, Mallo- ry Fernandez, a physician-assistant-turned-in- terior designer, helped her decorate the house into something calming and relaxing, using neutral colors, minimalist and simple furniture and decorations, features that create balance and clean lines. They drastically changed the kitchen, installing white cabinets, light-colored quartz countertops and large stainless Wolf COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 45 The kitchen in Laura Moore and Don Sanders’ home on Galveston’s West End features a large island with cabinets and countertops in a palette of soft whites and creams.46 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE appliances. All the hardware, faucets and lights are gold, which blend nicely with the yellowish ceiling, which actually is wallpapered, in the kitchen. The open floorplan puts the large dining table within reach of the kitchen island, but in the dining room she painted the ceiling pink. “I like pink,” Moore said. “The dishes are pink, too, and it just is a soothing color.” The living room, with its large sectional couch in washable white slipcovers, has spectacular views of the water and mostly empty beaches. The walls all are white shiplap wood and decorated with art and artifacts. This is where the family gathers, she said. The large dining table is great for meals, but also for art projects with their grandchildren. The soft whiteness of the area is broken up with the col- orful art Sanders collects. And several walls on two floors are covered with dozens of square photo tiles of family, friends, memorable occasions and travel pictures, which feature their blended families and grandchil- dren. There’s a large bedroom and bath on this floor, as well. Upstairs, there’s a bunk room with four beds and a guest room with two large beds and the pri- mary bedroom suite with space for two comfortable lounging chairs facing the water and per- fect for quiet time. The two larger bedrooms open onto the upper deck with views of the beach. But it’s the little sitting room adjacent to the kitchen Moore fa- vors most, she said. Four swivel chairs surround a glass-topped table, encouraging conversations while taking in the scenery. “This area is for reading, (From top) Laura Moore and Don Sanders’ West End home in Galveston features spectacular views of the water and beach from nearly every room in the house, including the primary bedroom; a large dining table, with accents in pink, sits between the kitchen and living room. Moore painted the ceiling in the two spaces a soothing shade of her favorite color – pink. (Opposite) The Wolf range in the kitchen features six burners, a griddle and dual ovens. The kitchen also includes a smaller, built-in oven and microwave. COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 4748 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE looking out and relaxing,” she said. It also serves as a mini-office for the now-retired educator, with computer screens set up for web surfing and correspondence. And, in this space she’s closest to the kitchen, where she loves to be. Educated as a registered dieti- tian and trained at Le Cordon Bleu, Moore’s expertise is in Nutrition and Culinary Arts with an emphasis in nutritional science, culinary training and community garden education. For several decades, she provided guidance and education programs in her field, culminating in the Nourish Program at the University of Texas School of Public Health. She co-wrote the colorful and informative book with her team, testing every recipe and photographing each item. All the proceeds from the book go toward community outreach in nutrition edu- cation and the prevention of chronic disease in underserved communities, she said. And Moore takes her own advice for meal preparation. “I appreciate flavor and taste, but I cook simply,” she said. “I sauté or roast vegetables, add sauces with impact and nutrition.” What she realized was many students and health care professionals didn’t have the foundation of knowledge concerning food and nutrition, such as where it comes from, how to prepare it in a healthy manner and “how that can make life better,” she said. Simple techniques change the tra- jectory for many people, she said. Many recipes, demonstrations and presentations are available for free on the program’s website, www.nourish program.org. “We are spreading the word of what can be done and learning the founda- tions can change lives,” Moore said. Since she left her job, her focus now is on family and whatever new passion develops, she said. Sanders’ schedule is flexible so they can spend more time at the beach, enjoying the relaxed lifestyle and each other. “We wanted a beachfront home, and if we can weather the storms, we will be OK,” Moore said. “It is won- derful while we are here. Just give me a nice kitchen where I can cook and Zen out.” Laura Moore, who recently retired as director of Houston’s University of Texas Health Science Center’s School of Public Health, helped author the Nour- ish program’s cookbook, “How Good Food Works, From Seed to Plate,” filled with healthy and delicious recipes, helpful cooking tips and information.Heart Health services include: •Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) •Cardiac Arrhythmia •Cardiac Ablation •Electrophysiology Studies •Heart Attack/Heart Failure •High Blood Pressure •Pacemakers and Defibrillators SCAN TO LEARN MORE Caring for every heart condition knows Heart Health The University of Texas Medical Branch is in-network for most major insurance plans. Call our 24/7 Access Services team at (800) 917-8906, visit our website at utmbhealth.com/heart or scan the QR code to find a provider and schedule your next appointment. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, but it can often be prevented or successfully managed by making healthy choices and receiving appropriate health care. UTMB Health’s innovative care includes the latest treatment options and advanced procedures focused on maintaining and improving Heart Health for communities across our region. UTMB Health has 130+ years of expertise caring for hearts of all ages.Next >