being sandy feet

tip of the hat, wag of the finger (and a bow to Stephen Colbert)

2009-07-06T22:00:00.000-05:00

I recently had a friend in town for a few days. We ate out a lot, and I thought I would share some thoughts on dining experiences we had on beautiful South Padre Island -- both positive and negative.

Tip of the hat to Gabriella�s. I really really like this place. It feels comfy cozy; the wait staff (that I have encountered) is friendly and attentive, and the food is so tasty! I don�t see how this place can help but succeed.

Wag of the Finger to Island Grill. It is trying to be the second coming of Dorado�s - which is certainly a worthy goal. But I felt it failed. I give them an �A� for effort but a less than passing grade for execution. I hope they will find their own path and I will give them a few weeks to get the bugs out before I try them again.

Tip of the hat to Psychadeli. Yes, the line sucks and we all hate to wait but there is so much to look at while you are waiting! The whole room is a massive magical mushroom inspired work of art and I absolutely love it. And of course the belly-thrilling morsels are totally worth the wait. Welcome back Psychadeli! I had forgotten how much I missed you and am so happy you are back and better than ever.

Major Wag of the Finger to Las Olas at Pennisula. I have had good experiences there in the past and defended this place when others attacked it -- but no more. There was much to be unhappy about - the chairs are too low for the tables and it was freezing cold. But the worst of it was the veal that was so tough as to be inedible and the obnoxiously-loud rock music that made conversation a challenge and seemed totally inappropriate for a pricey (and completely empty) waterfront fine-dining experience. Even worse, the waitress shrugged off our concerns and made no effort whatsoever to appease us. No wonder the place was empty. I will not be coming back.

Tip of the hat to Naturally�s. I keep trying new things on the menu and haven�t come across a bad choice yet. My out of town friend really enjoyed it as well, going so far as to say he wished his little burg (Corpus Christi) could support a similar dining experience, though he didn�t see it happening any time soon.

Word to all Island eating establishments: more vegetarian choices please! And could we please please pretty please have even a little salad bar somewhere - at least during the busy season?

letter from Barcelona

2009-06-02T15:46:00.003-05:00

So you ask what have i done so far?

Well, I am going to tell you even if you didn't ask.

I have gotten lost. Repeatedly. But not so much since I started using the "Barcelona at a Glance" and maps apps on my iPhone. So I am the nerd staring at her gadget instead of the nerd trying to refold a map. (And if only all the streets had their names clearly posted and I had some basic sense of direction I would always know where I was, am and headed.) I have seen ancient Roman walls, a cathedral under construction and lots of other amazing architecture. (Saving Gaudi for tomorrow's bike tour. I told my friend Lori G. that I wish I had more money because lots of neat stuff has her name on it - literally!) I've seen pretty old buildings covered in graffiitti, a big brass cat and a French movie at a meetup I found online that may be one of my favorite flicks of all time ever ("Amelie" - highly recommended.) I got a wild hair and had it cut by a guy named Leopoldo, I've rambled down the Rambla and plucked a cheap Barca t-shirt from a sales bin. I had coffee and muffins with a sand sculptor (thanks, Nuria!) and had my Tex-Mex accent sniffed at by a Spanish waiter when I ordered a tortilla at a patio cafe. (Yes, a tortilla here is an omelet in Texas. What do they call the flat things you wrap around fajitas here? I will find out!) I am happy enough with my private room here at the Hostal Centric - featuring a private bathtub, a firm mattress, free in-room wifi and a tiny balconet and its view of the recycling bins below where I get to hear the tinkle of breaking glass from green-minded citizens all night long. And finally I am appreciating the extra 5 euros a night I am spending for the luxury of AC way more than I thought I would.

That is all. For now.

(Blogger and Flickr are not playing nicely together tonight, so you will have to go here to see the photos that go with this blog entry.)

Eliot's latest

2009-05-26T23:04:00.001-05:00

My nephew rocks.

selling out

2009-05-17T14:13:00.002-05:00

I have some nice things with which I must part:

1990 Toyota pickup: plain vanilla with little rust, 134,000 miles, standard shift, runs great. Camper top. Mechanic says it was the best engine ever built and quite possibly has another 200,000 miles on it (body may not last that long, however ;-) Asking $1500.

Jeep Wrangler bicycle (pic): aluminum body in very good shape - needs new spokes, probably a new chain &; possibly some brakework but the bike itself is sound and was very expensive new. $100 obo.

SPIsandy at gmail.com for more info.

what's this turtle days thing of which you speak?

2009-05-15T08:15:00.004-05:00

If you like weird, then you should really be at Mooncussers tonight for the silliest celebration we have here on South Padre Island. Kayakers - King & Queen Sargassum and their court - paddle down the bay lighting tiki torches to welcome the nesting turtles. They arrive right about sunset (7ish?) at a bayside bar where they are greeted by conch blowers and drummers and ukulele players and hula dancers. We welcome summer. We welcome the turtles. We welcome the opportunity to show how seriously we do not take ourselves. And then tomorrow night we dress up like different sea creatures and head for the Turtle Ball at Amberjack's.

It's a lot of fun. And it's free! (At least, tonight's stuff is. You can buy your ticket to the Turtle Ball at Paragraphs for $20 or pay $25 at the door.) All money raised goes to Seaturtle Inc - a most worthy cause.

This video is from two years ago. We've gotten better since then, I promise!
'

sandyfun

2009-05-13T22:09:00.001-05:00

I are a star
thanks, Jackie

Thank you, sponsors

2009-05-05T20:54:00.002-05:00

sand/fire sculpture for my dad's wake

2009-05-03T13:05:00.001-05:00

photo by amazin' walter

Unlitter Day Parade

2009-04-30T19:59:00.001-05:00

This video makes me happy.

a wake for my dad

2009-04-29T16:58:00.001-05:00

You are invited to come celebrate the life and times of Don �Dad Feets� Wierenga, who passed away unexpectedly on April 20, 2009 while spending time with his daughter here on South Padre Island.

An island-style wake will be held Friday, May 1 at the SandBox Inn - 117 E. Saturn Lane - starting at 5 PM. There will be food and drink - all dad�s favorite things. We will share memories and sing a few of his favorite songs in one of his favorite places -- under the trees where he spent so much of the past four months. It will be a great opportunity to learn more about this amazing man, enjoy the company of other people who knew him -- and bid him a fond farewell.

At dusk we will light a ceremonial fire sculpture created specifically for this celebration by Alice Abbot of Brownsville.

If you play or bang something, please bring it with you as we hope for/expect both drum and song circle action as the night winds down.

If you would like to bring something to eat or drink, that would be nice but please do not feel obligated.

What I said at my Dad's funeral (more or less)

2009-04-26T10:08:00.003-05:00

I moved to Texas 29 years ago with a small suitcase of teacher clothes, a trunk full of books and the love and support of my parents - Don & Ginny Wierenga. In the intervening years I acquired a few other things, though a husband and kids were not not to be part of the package. I did however get a nice old beachhouse. Lots of friends, a few really good ones, and - for the past four months - my Dad.

We had a great time together. We ate food that wasn't good for us, we drank too much wine, and we watched MSU go down in flames on the basketball court together. And we built a sweet little annex onto the back of my house. Rather, dad built it while I cheered him on. He was just finishing it up last week when the worst thing I could never imagine happened....

A week ago at this time, I was competing in a sand sculpture event in Port Aransas, TX while dad took care of my animals and my life. While I was holed up in a tiny cell of a motel room with no internet access or cell phone service, the server that hosts all mine and my friends' websites went down. Tech support was not answering or returning my calls. I didn't know when or even if things would be back up and I told my fellow sculptors it was the worst week of my life. (Which reminds me of the old joke Walter is fond of telling: "cheer up, he said. things could be worse! so she cheered up and sure enough, things got worse...." )

In the middle of all this, my dad left a voicemail on my iPhone:
" Hi Cin, it's Dad. Hoping you are back on track this morning. I know it must have been a rough night for you...
Anyway, thinking about you and loving you. You know, just kind of back off if you can and let things slide. Life goes on. You'll be okay. I have your puppy on my lap right now. We are all missing you and hoping that you have a good day. So take care. Love you. Goodbye.

I learned a lot of things from my dad, but the most important of all was that - no matter what the question, love is the answer. No matter what the problem - ultimately, love is the solution.
The cynics will roll their eyes and shake their heads, but I know what dad taught me and the huge turnout at his service speaks volumes...

It was dad's fervent hope that my house - the sandbox inn - would become "Glen Lake South" for my family. He built the annex for himself, yes but we talked often and at length about the future and how he hoped his kids, grandkids and members of his extended family would all find peace and joy there long after he was gone.

Dad's spirit will always reside with me there. Please come visit us.

Dad Feets

2009-04-22T17:32:00.007-05:00

Donald �Dad Feets� Wierenga of Douglas, Michigan and South Padre Island, TX passed away unexpectedly on April 20, 2009. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Virginia Wierenga of Douglas, MI; daughters Debra Wierenga of Holland, MI, Susan Wierenga Pyle (Steve) of GrandHaven, MI and Lucinda Wierenga of South Padre Island, TX; grandsons Dylan, Emerson, Eliot and Shane; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; and hundreds if not thousands of grateful friends & acquaintances who were lucky enough to experience the full extent of his boundless love and energy.

Don spent his first half century as an educator and a counselor. He quickly rose to the administrative level in the Grand Rapids MI school system, but never lost his touch with the kids. He was a really good listener, which made him a really good arbitrator/counselor and in fact he spent some of his final hours trying to negotiate peace between a troubled nephew and his family.

After taking early retirement, Don explored his creative side, creating graceful sculptures of driftwood, rocks and shells he called �Bird Castles. � He sold some at art shows but gave away far more of them - often on a whim to people he had just met. He also became an active member of the SPI Sons of the Beach Sandcastle Wizards, assisting Amazin� Walter and sandy feet with a number of major sand sculpture projects all over the country. Just last summer - at the age of 77 - he helped daughter Lucinda carve some 50 tons of sand in two days for a festival in Petoskey, MI. He could shovel men a third his age under the table!

Don liked to build things, and he was really good at it. He built homes with his father, and he built homes for his family, including a playhouse in the back yard for his daughters. In his later years particularly, he used his skills to help others. He took his tools into the worst of Katrina-hit Mississippi and assisted many families in rebuilding their homes and their lives after that devastating storm. In the fall of 2007 he worked for three months as a volunteer in a small town in Kenya that is being built to help families devastated by the AIDs epidemic.

Don was finishing up his final project -- an annex on his daughter Lucinda�s SPI home -- when a construction accident took him away from us. He had hoped to spend his remaining winters in Texas building sandcastles with sandy feet, taking long beach walks with Peach and joshing the bartenders at Blackbeards, where he was something of a regular.

There will be a wake at the Sandbox Inn (117 E. Saturn Lane, SPI) on Friday, May 1 starting at 5 PM. All of Don�s Texas friends are invited to come celebrate the life of this extraordinary man.

If you have photos or memories that you would like to share, please visit his memorial site.
If you are interested in learning more of his accomplishments, please visit wierenga.com.

Nightmare on Saturn Street

2009-04-12T10:44:00.009-05:00

It has been 3 days and counting since the server that hosts some 120 SoB and friends websites went down - and almost that long since I had any update from the company I pay to maintain that server. To say I am unhappy is the understatement of the century...

We think we are waiting for a part.

In the meantime, I have moved sandyfeet.com to another server so I can at least get email again. And blog. Except all the "recent" posts date back to the last time I backed up my blog -which was apparently (um) some time ago.

I am feeling really bad for all the individuals and businesses who entrusted their sites with me. I am talking sobbing, quivering heap of jelly bad. But that doesn't fix anything, does it? I don't know if I should begin the humungous task of moving everything to a new server, since my current "partner" is not giving me any info upon which to base important decisions. On Tuesday I am heading to Port Aransas where I will be up to my elbows in sand and unable to do much of anything. As timing goes, my tech guy could hardly have picked out a worse one to do this to me.

I think I may be done taking responsibility for hosting any but SoB sites. The stress I have experienced over the past 3 days has affected my health and my spirit. Right now it really sucks to be me.

:(

SandBox Inn Review (Hey! I'm an "Institution!")

2009-03-31T16:44:00.002-05:00

From: "Where to Find Luxury Vacation Rentals in South Padre Island" at travel.aol.com

* The SandBox Inn - Owned and operated by local institution "Sandy Feet," the Sandbox Inn is an eclectic mixture of contemporary fusion and old-world creativity. As the top half of her beach house, Sandy Feet rents out the space to families with a creative edge. Use her back yard for creative purposes and bring her a rock when you come!

I love this.

Craft Camp Gals March Madness Birthday Beach Picnic

2009-03-26T20:23:00.003-05:00

Are all car salesmen LIARS?!

2009-03-26T11:34:00.003-05:00

I want to lease a Honda Element. I can so see myself lugging around shovels and buckets in one of those honeys...
Filled out the online form. Got a call from Arnold at Gillman Honda. "I probably can't afford this," sez I, cautiously.
Sure you can, he purrs. What's the top monthly you can do?
$200.
No problem. How much down?
Not sure. You tell me.
How about $1800. Plus the first monthly for a total of $2000.
Really??!! You can do that? On an Element?
Yeah. It's a 2008 though, not a 2009.
I am so there.

So Dad Feets and I drive all the way to San Benito -- only to discover that of course Arnold can't do that. He can't do anything close to that. We ask for the bottom line and it is half again as much as he told me on the phone.

I am angry. Angry about my dashed expectations. Angry about my lost morning. Angry at being duped by a stupid car dealer. Really really angry.

Bottom Line? I recommend avoiding Gillman Honda of San Benito like the plague.

Hey Texas Dog-Lovers!

2009-03-25T11:05:00.002-05:00

Dallasites have an amazing opportunity that I think you should throw your full support behind. The proposed dog park in Frisco sounds like a great idea, and the March 29 "Rover Rally" dog festival sounds like too much fun!

Visit the dogpark website and then join the dogpark facebook group and get involved in making the Big D more dog-friendly.

Which reminds me hat we sure could use something like this here on SPI. I visited a beach in Tasmania that allowed unleashed dog play for a few hours early in the morning. Do you suppose there are enough local dog people - and people who cater to tourists who travel with their dogs - who would throw their support behind a plan like this?

Third Coast at Parrot Eyes

2009-03-23T10:14:00.001-05:00

I thought this shot turned out kinda nice...

Hey Mirage (redux)

2009-03-22T17:03:00.001-05:00

I was out walking the dog in front of your shop again at 8 this morning and saw someone out there cleaning up the parking lot. Good on ya!

When will Psychadeli open in its new location?

2009-03-21T18:06:00.001-05:00

Hey Mirage!

2009-03-18T08:41:00.002-05:00

Shoutout to the T-shirt shop on the corner:

It is 8 AM on Texas Week Wednesday. I am walking my dog, and I notice that you are open. I also see that you clearly have no customers. Bummer that. Upon further observation, I note the trash that has accumulated in your parking lot. I can only surmise that you have at least one employee on duty, and that said employee is undoubtedly sitting on his/her ass - possibly nursing a hangover - instead of cleaning up the mess in the parking lot.

I would unlitter your parking lot - I have done it before - but I just unlittered a large swath of the beach and am feeling unlittered out.

So why can't you pick up your own trash already?

World Championship Sandsculpture Contest at risk

2009-03-16T08:14:00.002-05:00

This from sculptor David Billings (originally posted on Facebook):

**READ AND RESPOND PLEASE** **HARRISON HOT SPRINGS 2009 & FUTURE**
I have spoken with John Green today and he informed me that he will no longer be sponsoring the Sand Sculpture events at Harrison Hot Springs due to his wife having a stroke. Please send him your wishes.

AS FOR FUTURE SAND EVENTS -
John informed me that the Town of Harrison has $100's of thousands of dollars available to put on the sand events, but have no one willing to step up and keep the event going or have any backing by the Mayor or councel. Black Press is still interested in being the Major Sponsor for the event, but with no support from the Town counsel. John also indicated that the Mayor is about to approve $1.5M to erect a concrete tourist attraction around the lagoon area instead of having the sand sculpture events.

I have posted the Mayor's name, number and e-mail address above and a link to Harrison. PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL OR CALL HIM TO VOICE YOUR OPINION, DISAPPOINTMENT OR OTHER COMMENTS

MAYOR: KEN BECOTTE
TELEPHONE: 001.604.796.2171 (-08:00GMT)
E-MAIL: Mayor@HarrisonHotsprings.ca

What my weekly google ego alert turned up

2009-03-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

Folio is the literary agency that represents me.
Lucinda's Press Sheet

BeachBillboard wedding present

2009-03-13T11:42:00.002-05:00

This is how it works:
1. you tell me what you want the billboard to say/look like
2. I pick a pretty day to go build it
3. I shoot some pictures and send you a watermarked sample
4. You send me a few bucks. (I accept checks, credit cards and paypal)
5. I send you photo files
6. You print, frame, post on facebook, etc. etc. etc.

How cool it that?

Why your sand sucks for sandsculpting

2009-03-11T11:42:00.004-05:00

Amazin' Walter took this amazing closeup shot of two very different grades of sandsculpting material. The sample on the right is some of the best beach sand we have had the good fortune to encounter - genuine grade AAA South Padre Island beach sand. The stuff on the left is -- inferior. Definitely inferior.