Sandcastles

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The American Institute of Architects SandCastle Competition is a fundraiser for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation, as well as one of the top five revenue generating events for the City of Galveston. Today’s event, the 33rd annual, featured over 60 teams, all vying to win the prestigious Golden Bucket Award.

Participating architectural firms began making plans for their entries months ago, putting in lots of hours generating ideas, developing designs and assigning duties.

Each year, the teams, stretched along the beach front, meticulously sculpt their piles of sand and work nonstop for five hours. All the while, locals and visitors alike descend on East Beach, unload their cars and trucks, put up large sun-protecting tents and, ultimately, decorate them with beach chairs ice chests and an impressive assortment of their favorite foods and beverages. When all is ready, these fans of the competition will split their time walking the beach to see the massive creations come together and relaxing with friends and family in the shade of their temporary shelters.

The judging of the sculptures is rated on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical difficulty, carving techniqu, and utilization of the site. In addition to the Golden Bucket, awards are given in several categories, including Best Traditional Castle, Best Architectural Icon, Kidtastic! – LEGO Edition, Best Science Fiction, Best Sports and Houston-centric, as well as best team t-shirt design, best team signage, best costume and public favorite.

At the end of the day, everyone goes home sandy, sunbaked and spent. And, to be sure, with lots of great memories of a truly unique experience.

The Daily News

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Today was a really hot day in Galveston. I knew that even before I saw the headline in today’s edition of The Daily News. It is, after all, a typical August day on the island!

Still, I read the Page One story with interest. It was good to learn the high temperature we were “enjoying” had set the record for high minimum temperature. I couldn’t help but think, for a minute at least, “That’s cool.”

Of course, it wasn’t cool, but it was different. The heat in Galveston in August is nothing new or, until today, particularly newsworthy!

But, as a career journalist, I truly appreciate The Daily News. It’s a good newspaper! Its staff is excellent and, as a team, it does a terrific job of delivering the news we islanders care about most.

I also appreciate The Daily News for another reason - its history. It is as interesting and illustrious as it comes.

The first edition of The Daily News appeared April 11, 1842. No doubt its publisher, George French, never dreamed it would still be around today and recognized as the oldest continuously published newspaper in Texas.

The Daily News was located in this beautiful historic building in the 2100 block of Mechanic Street, for more than 80 years.

The Daily News was located in this beautiful historic building in the 2100 block of Mechanic Street, for more than 80 years.

At the time of the newspaper’s founding, Texas was an independent republic, and Sam Houston was finishing his last term as president.. Galveston was a fairly new village, just a few years old, with about 4,000 citizens. And, I’ve read, the newspaper was a force to be reckoned with, even back then.

During The Civil War, the newspaper was briefly published in Houston. Afterwards, from 1866-1884, The Daily News occupied three floors of an iron-fronted building in the 2200 block of Market Street in downtown Galveston. And, for more than 80 years, the newspaper occupied a brick structure in the 2100 block of Mechanic Street — the first building in the United States designed solely for a newspaper plant.

Ownership of The Daily News has changed many times over the years.The Moody family of Galveston owned the paper for a time and, in the 1960s, it was owned by Oveta Culp Hobby, who also owned The Houston Post during the same period.

The Daily News moved to its current location, at 8522 Teichman Road, in 1965.

The Daily News moved to its current location, at 8522 Teichman Road, in 1965.

In 1965, The Daily News moved to 8522 Teichman Road, where the newspaper's Galveston offices are still located today.

Galveston Newspapers Inc. acquired ownership of The Daily News in 1967, and the newspaper converted to morning delivery. It was renamed The Galveston County Daily News on November 1, 1993, when the newspaper started serving the entire county.

Two years later, on Christmas Day, 1995, The Daily News made its online debut, one of the first newspapers in Texas to provide both print and digital editions.

In November 2011, the paper dropped the "Galveston County" moniker and returned to its original name, The Daily News.  It is currently published by Galveston Newspapers Inc., and owned by the Carmage B. Walls family.

The Daily News has won many first place awards from the Associated Press and the Texas Press Association - for breaking news articles, editorial writing, headline writing and general excellence.

Beach Walk

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Early morning at the beach on Galveston Island

Early morning at the beach on Galveston Island

And I said to myself, “Let me go to the island. Let me wake to the light of a bright blue sky and a cool, refreshing breeze - one that lures me outside, to walk along the shore. Let me, like morning coffee, be bold and strong. Let me bask in the blessing of a dream come true.” 

La King's

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La King’s Confectionery and Ice Cream Parlor on The Strand is situated in a building that is 150 years old, and the shop itself is reminiscent of a soda fountain of the 1920s. Admittedly, it is my favorite destination in Galveston’s historic downtown area!

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Daily, La King’s scoops up delicious Purity Ice Cream to fill the endless orders of its tasty cones, floats, malts, shakes, sodas, sundaes and splits. Purity, by the way, has its own illustrious history; it is Texas’ first ice cream manufacturer, founded in 1889, and on Galveston Island.

Purity was about the only ice cream you could buy in Galveston until the death of the company's owner, G.B. Bryston, in 1979. For a few years, there was no Purity ice cream to be found anywhere. But, thankfully, the brand was revived in 1983 when La King's bought the equipment and the recipes. Today, the small factory makes only enough of the 36 flavors for La King's ice cream parlor.

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La King’s also features an enormous candy counter showcasing more than 50 kinds of candies, all made from century-old recipes handed down by the owner’s family. Some of the most popular of these candies include the Peanut and Pecan Brittle, Divinity, Pecan Pralines, Fudge and La King’s famous Salt Water Taffy. There are also high quality, hand-made chocolates, as well as the classic “dime store penny candy.” Some visitors are thrilled to see a wide assortment of rock candy and overjoyed to find bubble gum cigarettes and cigars. These, most likely, remind them of their childhood days.

History of La King’s
In 1927, Jimmy King began making candy in Houston while learning the trade from Old World candy makers. Nearly 50 years later, in 1976, Jimmy’s oldest son, Jack, moved his family to Galveston to open his own confectionery on The Strand. He used the 19th-century formulas and methods handed down to him, using traditional equipment and procedures to make the confections.

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Pleasure Pier

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The Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, a dining and entertainment complex, is located where 25th Street meets The Seawall and the Gulf of Mexico. It features family-oriented attractions, including rides, midway games, a wide selection of food venues and concessions and retails shops.

Dining options here are always described as “fun food” in the Pier’s promotions. I’d say that’s about right. Currently, restaurant tenants include Big Top Bites, Brew Station, Bubba Gump’s, Carousel Court Sweets, Slices & More, and Scoops.

Stopping in at Bubba Gump’s is always a delicious choice. The shrimp here is always great, and so too is the restaurants’s award-winning, show-cooked ribs. I also love Bubba Gump's spacious dining room and patio; both have splendid views of the Gulf and The Seawall.

Tickets
To gain access to the pier, all visitors older than three years of age must purchase a Pier Pass ($4 each). The passes are sold at the entrance to the Pleasure Pier.

Parking
Parking is very limited in the area, but there are several options to choose from. There is a Premium Paid Parking Lot directly across from the Pier, next to Fish Tales restaurant, and there is parking along the seawall. To the east, just a few blocks away, is a city parking garage.

Carousel at Pleasure Pier in the 1940s

A Bit of History
The new Pleasure Pier opened in 2012, on the site where the original Pleasure Pier stood from 1943 to 1961 - until it was destroyed by Hurricane Carla. The original Pleasure Pier featured rides, an arcade, aquarium, concessions, a large ballroom and opportunities to fish at the end of the pier. (The photo directly above was taken of a popular carousel ride at Pleasure Per in the 1940s.)

The Pleasure Pier site was also home to the USS Flagship, an over-the water hotel that was built in 1965 and, sadly, devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008.