december final copy

Fishing • Boating • Home • Real Estate • Events • Style

December 2012 Monthly

Pet of the Month

Holiday Recipes

Kemah Boat ParadeFashion Puh-Leeze

Featuring 7211 Broadway, Galveston

Captain BobA Play in Paradise with Gordon

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PublisherAl Rubio

(281) [email protected]

EditorRachel Spencer

[email protected]

Ad Design Patricia Koh

Director of Sales & MarketingAngela Miller

(409) [email protected]

Photographer Joel Veedell

Advertising SalesChristina Belter(832) 213-7271

[email protected]

Joseph Tamez(713) 366-9445

[email protected]

Lissa Johnson(832) 385-6052

[email protected]

Contributing WritersMelinda Emmons

Captain BobGordon SchnurrDebbie Streater

Lucky Kilmer

www.coastal-breeze.comwww.facebook.com/coastalbreezemagazine

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League City 51st annual Christmas

The annual Christmas boat lane parade begins at the South Shore Harbor Marina, and goes into the Nassau Bay lagoon. The parade then continues toward the Kemah channel, passing by the Kemah boardwalk and into Galveston Bay.

Spectators can watch from both sides of Lake, however the best locations are in Nassau Bay, clear lake shores, Kemah boardwalk, outriggers, the turtle club, or if you are really lucky watch the parade from a boat anchored in the middle of Clear Lake.

The annual parade first started 51 years ago with just 5 boats. Now there are more than 100 boats annually, from a 16 foot skiff, to the 115 foot Clear Lake fantasea. You can purchase tickets to ride the Clear Lake Fantasea, or 1 of the Starfleet yachts. Even after Hurricane Ike the Clear Lake area chamber of Commerce was able to continue hosting the parade without missing a single year.

The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual event. You can register your boat to be in the parade at www.ClearLakearea.com.There will be more than 100,000 spectators in the Clear Lake area that will watch the parade.

The yacht named “Got Extra Beer” shown here in the article has been in nearly 10 Christmas parades, LUCKY Kilmer is the captain, last year we had over 5000 lights hung on the boat and 30 participants on board. This year will be featuring a santa that is over 20 feet tall, that is surfing in a tropical paradise.

boat lane paradeby Lucky Kilmer

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EVENTS

Dec 8th

Dec 8th

51st Annual Kemah Boat Parade. Watch 100’s of lighted and decorated boats cruide down the bay.

Festival of Lights, Moody Gardens in Galveston 6-10pm.

Dec 9th Galvestons own Farmers Market 9am - 1pm. Located at 2508 Postoffice, Galveston, Tx.

Dec 9th

Dec 14th

Santa on the Strand 1-5pm on Saengerfest Park, 2302 Strand, Galveston, Tx.

Market on the Strand. 10am-4pm on the Strand in Galveston.

Dec 15th

Dec 15th

Dec 31st

Dec 22nd

Breakfast with Santa. Contact San Louis Hotel in Galveston 409-744-1500 for details.

GUMBO COOK OFF. $100 to enter3 winners- judges choice, peoples choice and best booth.Chicken & sausage or seafood gumbo

New Year’s Eve Family Celebration on Kemah Boardwalk. Celebrate 2013 with family fun and fireworks.

Festival of Lights, Moody Gardens in Galveston 6-10pm.

At Play inby Gordon Schnurr

Race day came sooner than we would’ve liked, as there was no time for a practice run. So be it, in for a penny, in for a pound. My boat, The Bandit, was anchored out in the harbor along with 50 or 60 others. Tito and I had spliced 200 yards of anchor line together and put a small floatation ball on the end. Our plan was simple. When the Amazing Rodney (our swimmer) touched the boat, we’d haul the line, giving us initial momentum and direction while hoisting the sails. This would keep us out of the way from the rest of the fleet who’d be locked in to a cluster at the start. So much for plans.

We showed up on the dock that morning in full costume, longhorn hats blowing wildly in the breeze, cow tails dangling from our shorts, all in electric orange, looking much like an alien invasion. The Amazing Rodney had purchased a pair of equally electric orange Speedos that appeared even more microscopic than the rest of his collection. As he walked up to join us, sweet little Lora Lee Bailey’s eyes were mesmerizingly transfixed on The Amazing Rodney’s amazingness. Her mouth dropped to her knees and the quiet morning was shattered by her instantaneous reflex.

“ Dayyyummn !!! ”We stood in shock fearing the repercussion from the Almighty at sweet little Lora Lee’s use of profanity. Certainly the world would come to an end, and life would cease to exist. When in the next few moments, no lightning bolts had been hurled our way, we broke out laughing. Her face had gone from rosy cheeks to beet red and her eyes, from silver dollars to pie plates. We left The Amazing Rodney on the dock for the start while we took the dinghy out to board the boat. With a competitive swimmer on our team, I was feeling really good about our chances in this race. Looking back, how could I have possible known, I’d be so wrong?

Once onboard, we went about organizing lines for easy access. Anne Marie had taken Lora Lee Bailey up forward with a couple of “Isn’t this grrrreeeeeeaaats”, and was instructing her on nautical terms, movable ballast, and all things female. Their longhorns had somehow become tangled in the morning breeze, and they pawed at each other like monkeys to free themselves. The identical mishap had stricken John, Tito and I back in the cockpit. The rubber foam horns were everywhere, and we repeatedly poked each other’s faces and eyes until we stepped back to separate ourselves. With my watch synchronized to the race committee’s clock, we psyched ourselves at the 30 second ‘til start flag. The swimmers lined the dock, getting into that serious stance, waiting

clock, we psyched ourselves at the 30 second ‘til start flag. The swimmers lined the dock, getting into that serious stance, waiting for the conch shell to blow. There had to have been 3,000 or so onlookers lining the boardwalk yelling, screaming, and in full party mode. Spirits were high onboard, with that “we got this” attitude. Anne Marie had come aft to lower the swim

ladder for Amazing Rodney and muttered to Tito, “I hope he’ll be alright.” John looked at her quizzically as if to ask her what she meant. “Y’all don’t knooooow?” Ok, she had my full attention now. She looked up at John and volunteered, “Rodney wears contacts, but he can’t swim in ‘em.” “So what?”, I thought, “My boat is bright red. In fact it’s the only red boat in the whole fleet.” The sound of the conch shell blew and echoed through the harbor. The swimmers dove in and churned the water like a blender. We could spot the Amazing Rodney with a commanding lead, the radioactive orange Speedo churning through the turquoise ripples in Gallows Bay.

On and on he came, with thunderous strokes, propelling him like a human torpedo. It would’ve been so much better had Amazing Rodney been swimming in the right direction. Anne Marie’s concerns were just. The Amazing Rodney was blind as a bat.

To Be Continued...

Paradise

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Bimini was our first stop. When I checked the fruit on the cute hammock, it looked as if someone had placed it in a blender and slung it across the salon and galley. Even though I had double-bagged everything that I didn’t want to get wet, all of it was wet. My arrogance had gone down a notch by now and I was starting to wonder if maybe I shouldn’t pay more attention to the advice coming from Captain Fu. When I used my Texaco gas card, the station attendant let me know it was the last place I would be able to use credit during my adventure.

Next, we headed for Chub Cay with the winds still blowing, but happy that the ocean was calmer. We stopped and replaced our ‘blended fruit’ and re-provisioned other fresh items, as well. Captain Fu made it clear that we needed to start conserving water. I told him he was crazy, because I had tanks carrying 200 gallons. He instructed us in the fine art of conserving water while showering on a boat. You get wet quickly, turn off the water, lather up and then rinse off quickly. This became a regular part of my life in the Caribbean due to the scarcity of fresh water during the next 10 years and is a skill that should be mastered right away by anyone planning to go cruising.

The next stop was some little island to clear customs. Captain Fu stepped off the boat and told us to remain on board. We waited half a day. Still being a tad defiant and not yet willing to listen to the voice of experience, we got off the boat in search of Captain Fu. A guy on the dock advised us that we really needed to stay on the boat. Of course, I kept going, which ended up being a big mistake. My partner’s wife & I found a taxi and offered him $20 to take us to customs, which was at the airport. We arrived at a dirt runway and metal shack, which we thought served as a terminal, since it didn’t have a name on it. We asked the driver to wait while we went inside. To our surprise, several guys inside were in fatigues, packing automatic weapons and playing backgammon. It was an expensive financial lesson and I never did find out if they were really customs officers or Gorillas. When we got back to the boat, Captain Fu was impatiently waiting for us. By now, you need little imagination to figure out what he did after yelling, “I thought I told you to stay on the boat!”

Georgetown was our next stop to re-provision and we thoroughly enjoyed the island. Things were looking up until I heard a newscast warning all U.S. flagged vessels to stay away from Haiti, because of a major uprising. It was our next scheduled destination, so we changed our course and headed for the South Caicos Islands.

We pulled into a fuel dock to prepare for our long passage to Puerto Rico. While we were there, a carload of well-dressed characters in a nice Caddy arrived at the dock and began staring at my boat. I asked Captain Fu what they were doing and he saidthey were scoping it out to see if they wanted to steal it andrun drugs with it. I stated over my dead body. Captain Fu said, “precisely”.

Captain Bob’s Caribbean Misadventures with Captain Fu

I then had to walk down a long dirt road into a tiny deserted ghost town to pay for my fuel and enter a small, dimly-lit locked building. An old man was sitting at a small table with a little cash box. While he was collecting my money, my arrogance dropped another notch or two and was replaced by apprehension. Since it was getting late, we decided to drop a hook and wait until morning to continue our travels. Captain Fu advised us to stand watch. My partner’s wife and I took the second shift. We were having a nice chat and enjoying the evening when we heard the unmistakable humming of an approaching dinghy motor. I immediately threw on the bridge flood lights, scanned the water and saw a dinghy full of pirates. They were all packing guns! I screamed out to BC and he scrambled on board, grabbed the rifle and fired a warning shot. We immediately pulled up our anchor and once again altered our plans. We got out of there in the middle of the night and felt lucky to have escaped with our lives.

It took about two days to reach the treacherous Mona Passage, where the Caribbean & Atlantic Oceans merge. This leg of the journey was intense, to say the least. We passed by San Juan, Puerto Rico around 1am and then ran out of fuel, which is never a cool thing to do. I had to transfer diesel from a 55 gallon drum to our fuel tank. Unfortunately, in the process, I swallowed some fuel and then looked out over the aft deck, Icould see the lights of San Juan over 12 foot swells. That was when I experienced my one and only bout with nausea at sea. It was a positive experience, however, because I am now able to identify with passengers who experience sea sickness. Making it to St. Thomas was the final leg of our journey. As soon as we arrived, we said our goodbyes to Captain Fu, who just turned and walked away. I never saw him again, but I’m pretty sure he is still issuing orders and then just disappearing somewhere in the Caribbean.

Captain Fu was one of the most allusive individuals I’ve ever met... it made me wonder if he had something to hide when he disappeared immediately after his delivery job was over... I believe he’s still somewhere in the Caribbean... a few folks read about him on our website and called with a sighting... he was spotted once in the Bahamas chasing wild horses, and even a report that he is now living in the Carolinas. Whereabouts unknown...

This adventure was the first milestone in my new life’s journey and was instrumental in my decision to become Captain Bob.

By Captain Bob Edwards

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6028 Heards Ln. Galveston, TX 77551 (Corne r o f 61 s t S t reet )

409-515-7800

Uniquely Different …Uncommonly Good Steak and Seafood Wood Grilled over an Open Pit

(On the water @ 61st Street)

606668-Flamingo-1125.indd 1 11/14/12 4:13 PM

6028 Heards Ln. Galveston, TX 77551 (Corne r o f 61 s t S t reet )

409-515-7800

Uniquely Different …Uncommonly Good Steak and Seafood Wood Grilled over an Open Pit

(On the water @ 61st Street)

606668-Flamingo-1125.indd 1 11/14/12 4:13 PM

Ready , Se t , SPARKLE !‘Tis the season for parties and gatherings, so celebrate the cheer and shine!. When the usual question of what to wear arises, the tips below should help you choose the appropriate holiday outfit for your holiday festivities.

Shiny EleganceA perfect choice for an elegant evening party is a slim fitting, shiny metallic dress, knee length. Draping and ruching are very popular trends and look great on almost any body type. Tone down the shine by wearing a solid color high-heeled pump in cobalt blue, fuchsia or jade along with a small purse in the same color. Add a dangle earring to finish this rich and festive look.

An always safe but fun outfit is a black or gold sequin dress. This season, go short and strapless, add a fabulous statement necklace, evening bag, and high-heeled pumps for a dressier party. For a fun and more casual soiree, top that same sequin dress with a denim jacket and a pair of cowboy boots and kick up your heels!

Mix it up a little and choose sequins in royal blue, emerald green, ruby red or glitter gold. If your event is a little more casual than one that calls for a full sequin dress, top your black skinny jeans with a sequin top, sparkly earrings, and several

blingy bangles.

Daytime DazzleYour daytime holiday outfit shouldn’t ask “Where’s the cocktail party?” Enhance your favorite little black dress by topping with an embellished or red print jacket with black beaded trim, for instance. Black pumps or booties, purse, dazzling earrings, and bracelets complete this office-appropriate look in style.

Another classy outfit for daytime is a gold sequin top paired with a red pleated skirt to

the knee. Black pumps, envelope clutch, earrings and sparkly bracelets keep you appropriately dressed for the office. By switching the accessories to gold, you’re instantly transformed for nighttime!

You can still dazzle during the day without all the shine and glitter. There are numerous daytime dresses (probably already hanging in your closet) that are appropriate to wear to a holiday luncheon or office party. For example, add a red necklace and shoes to a black long-sleeved dress with a patterned flouncy skirt and you will be ready to celebrate in a modest but trendy and feminine style.

Home Sweet HomeAttending a party at someone’s house can be tricky as far as holiday attire goes. Let the time of the party and the number of guests serve as clues as to how you should dress. Be careful not to dress too casual just because the event is held in a home. A nice pair of black trousers, silk top and festive jacket is the perfect outfit.

Small gatherings at a friend’s house still calls for festive garb. Skinny jeans in a textured pattern such as snake or cheetah and a loose-fitting metallic top or an oversized sweater, paired with some heeled booties and large dangling earrings keep you in style for a comfy setting!

Nail TipsDon’t forget to include your manicured nails in your holiday outfit. Instead of a subdued French manicure, try something a little different. A coat of gold or silver glitter polish on top of red, wine, or dark purple nails makes for a fun and festive finish.

Who doesn’t like to sparkle during the holiday season? Glam it up, but make sure you are comfortable and that you can sit down and reach for appetizers without a wardrobe malfunction. Oh, and leave the reindeer antlers, Christmas tree headbands, and themed sweaters for the fun and popular “Ugly Sweater” parties!

About the Author: Melinda Emmons owns and operates Le Petit Boutique, a ladies boutique, specializing in the current trends in fashions and accessories. Located at 1305 2nd Street, Seabrook, 77586,832-656-5828. Melinda is a native Houstonian with an extensive fashion background that includes professional modeling and working in Houston’s upscale retailers selling clothing, cosmetics, and fragrances.

By Melinda Emmons

Happy Holidays!15

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Homemade Peanut Butter and Banana Dog TreatsWholeFoodsMarket.comMakes 2 dozen“The parsley in these treats makes them a secret breath freshener for your pooch; substitute dried mint for half of the parsley, if you like. Don’t hesitate to adjust the size of the treats to accommodate very small or very large dogs, baking them a few minutes less or a few minutes more, as needed.”1 banana, peeled1 cup oat flour2/3 cup rolled oats1/2 cup dried parsley

3 tablespoons peanut butter1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Put banana in a large bowl and use a spoon or potato masher to mash it thoroughly. Add oat flour, oats, parsley, peanut butter and egg and stir well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Roll mixture into 24 balls, using about 1 tablespoon dough for each; transfer to a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet as done. Use the back of a spoon or the heel of your hand to press each ball into a (1 1/2- to 2-inch) coin. Bake until firm and deep golden brown on the bottom, 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside to let cool completely.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving:Serving size: 1 each, 45 calories (15 from fat), 1.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 2g protein

Accommodates Special Diets: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low Sodium, Vegetarian, Sugar Conscious, Wheat Free

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My Lightbulb Moment:Less for energy.

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Patio Dining

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Holiday Special$500.00 Off New Unit

SAVE $500.00 OFF a New Unit and Installation, Save $35.00 off any repairs

over $175.00 and Save $35.00 off service calls, regularly $79.50 • $25.00 off heat

maintenance w/FREE carbon monoxide testing.

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U.S.POSTAGE PAIDSTD MAIL ECRWSSEDDM-Retail

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