In The News

Galveston County residents hope the first weekend of spring break was a sign of things to come this tourist season. And all the ingredients were there Saturday. The sun was shining, Saengerfest Park in Galveston was crowded with people listening to live music, The Tremont House Hotel piano player’s tip jar was almost full, it was hard for beachgoers to find a parking spot on the seawall, and the Kemah Boardwalk was packed.

Surprisingly, both of your college-age children announced they would forgo the usual spring break destinations in order to come home to Houston and spend their vacation on the boat, with you … and a few of their friends? "Sure, bring them along," you agree. "Wait, how many did you say"?

Galveston continues to show signs of recovery from Hurricane Ike. A new boutique is set to open its doors in downtown Galveston on Feb. 1. Karen’s Kloset, at 2326 Strand, will carry gifts, designer clothing, lingerie, shoes and bathing suits.

When dedicating the Tremont House hotel in 1985, George P. Mitchell wasn’t going to settle for a ribbon cutting. He wanted a party. A big party. And that’s how Mardi Gras — a celebration dating back to 1867 but ended by World War II — came back to the island.

Brad Woodard interviews staff from the Karen's Kloset, Bill Ross from Mitchell Historic Properties on downtown and RoShelle Gaskins from the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and the upcoming Mardi Gras.

When The Tremont House staff began planning their 2010 Mardi Gras Ball, it didn’t take long to decide on a theme for the menu. “Having our event coincide with Chinese New Year is terrific, because Chinese is probably my favorite cuisine,” the hotel’s executive chef, Jerry Helminski, said.

You no longer have to go under the knife to achieve younger-looking, vibrant skin, spa owners say. Galveston County is home to scores of day spas that offer anti-aging treatments designed to reduce puffiness, minimize fine lines and smooth wrinkles — all without surgery or anaesthetic. One of the most popular treatments is called microdermabrasion, a procedure that removes dead, sun-damaged skin through light abrasion, typically achieved by spraying tiny crystals of aluminum oxide across the skin. The Spa at the Hotel Galvez is offering a new twist to this standard procedure, which reportedly achieves the same results with less abrasion.

For our final two days in Texas, Dana and I blazed through Houston and Galveston... And from this vibrant city we made our way south to Gulf Coast and Galveston Island. This island city was ravaged in September 2008 by Hurricane Ike and has recovered nicely, and the locals remember the occurrence with marks on buildings to signify the Hurricane Ike waterline. While large trees have been updated and a few buildings remain visibly damaged much of the city has recovered and reopened. We went on a tour of the island with our gracious hosts at the Galveston Island CVB—there is a lot of history here and fascinating stories, but I will leave those for your personal discovery. We stayed at the charming Tremont House...

Before Ash Wednesday approaches, celebrate amid an Asian-inspired ambiance at The Tremont House hotel's annual Mardi Gras Ball, where the theme dreamed up for 2010 is the Chinese New Year. A happening with heart, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Rosenberg Library (a direct descendant of the state's first public library), which was damaged in Hurricane Ike.