By Forest Riggs |  You don’t have to be a meteorologist to know that summer is definitely arriving, and fast. Temperatures have been steadily rising for the past few weeks and, although a nice breeze makes it tolerable at times, it is going to be a hot one this year. The Island’s favorite weatherman Frank

By Forest Riggs –  Like the old saying states, April roared in like a lion (well, maybe a small one) and went out like a lamb. April was a fun month on the Island, with lots of events that brought friends, family and visitors to the Island. The Tall Ships came and went, tall drinks

By Forest Riggs If you’ve ever had a fantasy of living a salty life on the high sea as a pirate, cabin boy, prostitute or stow-away (or just all of these combined!), your dreams are getting a little closer in the Gulf of Mexico and on Galveston Island. The creak of the rigging, the pop

By Forest Riggs Now that the chill of winter has passed and the “big” holidays and celebrations are behind us, it is time for Spring to arrive and bring with it sunshine, blossoms, new beginnings and fun times — both in and out of doors. All over Galveston, gardens are being re-dressed, damaged foliage from

By Forest Riggs Shiver me timbers! Spring, though it has tried, has not sprung. A clump of sand sitting in the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston has recently experienced a few cold and damp days, coupled with chilling winds that cut to the bone. Seems we have several days of glorious sunshine, then BAM! Here comes

Mardi Gras has come and gone, the last strings of beads have been thrown, the balls and parties are over and done and, hopefully, everyone survived the madness of Fat Tuesday. Holding true to the Island tradition of Mardi Gras and keeping with the ideas of hospitality, celebrations, good times and fun, Galveston welcomed visitors

By Forest Riggs It is Mardi Gras time again and, with it, come parties, parades, beads and balls. If you have lived on or visited Galveston within the past few decades, you are surely familiar with the infamous Banner Party that grew from a gathering in a private residence to the jam-packed, historic Balinese Room

By Forest Riggs It’s hard to imagine, but with the winter holidays having passed, it is time to blow the dust off the beads and get ready for Mardi Gras 2018! Following the liturgical calendar, the highly anticipated festival comes very early this year and, with it, all the fun and festivities that have made

By Forest Riggs “New Year, new blessings, new grace and new opportunities. Never allow the failures of the past year to rob you of the blessings in the New Year.” —Bamigboye Olurotimi At last, 2017 is over! What a year it has been. Between politics and weather events, our world has changed drastically in the

By Forest Riggs There are no reindeer paws up on the rooftop, only sunbeams beating down, driving away any feelings of winter and Christmas. The idea of the “Christmas Spirit” seems to be lost in a world filled with doubt, anger, dismay and distrust. Today, there are more Grinches in the world than ever could