SHOW NOTES - 3/27/10 - WEIRD CORPUS CHRISTI

The column from this past Wednesday:
Corpus Christi Needs More Weird

Weird stuff that springs to mind:
The Ice Cream Cone sculpture in the yard on Wilshire Street (click here and go to birds eye view and look for the house between Denver and Santa Fe with the flag painted on the driveway)
The dinosaur sculptures in the yard on Ocean Drive
Zombie Prom at House of Rock
The Irish band at Panjo's Pizza

Festival of the Arts this weekend:
Caller Article I
Caller Article II
Festival website

Went to an official 40 Things event last night
Beethoven in a Bar with the Chiara String Quartet. They play again tonight, 3/27, TIME: 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: Wolfe Recital Hall, Del Mar College East, Ayers at Kosar MORE INFO

Next 40 Things Thing: Elton John

Go to the 40 things FB page HERE

Google Fiber Competition <-- click for caller article

Wings over South Texas Air Show NAS Kville today FREE more info

SHOW NOTES - 02/20/10 - NO PLANS WHATSOEVER

Every once in a while you have no plan at all.

I just got in from Orlando, am out of touch and out of the loop. I have absolutely no plan. In that case what I like to do is list about 10 things to potentially talk about and then see where my mind and the callers take me.

So, that in mind here are the things that MIGHT be get hit on.

1) Anything happen in CC while I was gone? crickets

I put it out to the FB Group (join here). One idea came back:

Summer break and daylight savings time; both archaic methods implemented during the days when 95% of children were expected to help on the family farm. Now that children are not regularly used as labor, we should do away with summer break and go to year round school. Daylight savings time is also ridiculous as well. And for the record, I do state these beliefs even though my brother in law is a local farmer.

crickets

• Slow growth of of the group. The show and its obstacles.

2) Elton John tix went on sale an hour before the show. Joe has his.

• The ticketmaster experience of an 8th grader.
• Elton: 'Jesus was gay'. I don't really want to touch that

3) This past Wednesday's column: Islanders' Basketball Game Report

• Prejudice against my own city

4) Speaking of gay, Drag Queens

On my flight back from Orlando my seat neighbor was Tyra Sanchez, contestant on the current RuPaul's Drag Race television show, which I had never heard of. Tyra let me watch the first ep on his/her computer. Survivor + Project Runway + Drag Queens.

Shooting has finished but the show is airing now. (s)he couldn't tell me who won obviously, but 4 episodes into it, (s)he is still on it. I guess you have to watch it once to see Tyra. Full episodes online.

5) Coliseum Bids

6) Zack's job interview.

SHOW NOTES - 02/13/10 - ONE THING NOT IN CC

This week's column - All That Jazz and the Lack Thereof

• Leading sentence: What is something you’d love to do in Corpus Christi that simply doesn’t exist?
• Examples
• Feedback

Valentines Day is a Sham

• Intro
• We went out for a family dinner and we're done
• Seafood choices

Seafood Choices

• Corpus Christi is a city by the sea. That said, where is the seafood?
• Google Local says that there are 28 Seafood-specific restaurants. As of July 1, 08, CC's population was 286,462.

• I came up with that number by going to Google Local, typing in the city name and the word 'restaurant'. Then Google allows you to narrow by cuisine. Choose 'seafood' and there's your total number of seafood places.

Here they are:

1. Ancient Mariner
2. Banda's Seafood
3. Bayou Grill
4. Blackbeard's
5. Black Diamond Oyster Bar
6. Catfish Charlie's
7. City Diner and Oyster Bar
8. Coastline Cafe
9. Crawdaddy's
10. Doc's Seafood and Steaks
11. Executive Surf Club
12. Joe's Crab Shack I
13. Joe's Crab Shack II
14. King's Seafood (Baldwin??)
15. Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood
16. Landry's
17. Long John Silvers
18. Long John Silvers
19. Long John Silvers
20. Pier 99
21. Railroad Seafood Station
22. Red Lobster
23. Republic of Texas
24. Snoopy's
25. Two George's
26. Water Street Oyster Bar
27. Water Street Seafood Co.
28. Yardarm

First of all I'm taking out the Long John Silvers. We're down to 25. But let's be as fair as possible and stretch the search to Port A. The number goes up to 34.

1. Beulah's Tarpon Inn
2. Crazy Cajun
3. La Playa - as opposed to the La Playas in CC?
4. Ocean's of Seafood
5. Pelican Club
6. Pelican's Landing
7. Shell's Pasta and Seafood
8. Trout Street
9. Virginia's on the Bay

Let's keep moving to Rockport. Now we're up to 39.

1. Alice Faye's
2. Big Fisherman
3. Boiling Pot
4. Charlotte Plummer's
5. Lattitude 28

This does not include restaurants that have a seafood dish on their otherwise non-seafood menu. This is just 'seafood restaurants.'

• let's look at some similarly populated cities. Tampa is located on the same latitude line as CC directly across the Gulf of Mexico. They have 60,000 more people than we do at 340,882 or they are 19% larger than we are. You COULD assume, then that they have 19% more seafood places than we do--or 48 seafood restaurants. Tampa has 780 seafood-specific or notable seafood restaurants. (for you math geeks that's a 1900% increase).

• Some might say it's not fair to go higher, let's look at something coastal that's similarly populated. OK.

• As of July 1, 08, Baton Rouge's population was 223,689². Google Local says that there are 161 Seafood-specific restaurants
• As of July 1, 08, Mobile, Alabama's population was 191,022. Google Local says that there are 158 Seafood-specific restaurants

• Shall we go lower in population along the Gulf Coast?

• As of As of 2005 census, Biloxi, Mississippi's population was 45,670. Google Local says that there are 131 Seafood-specific restaurants
• As of 2007 census, Pascagoula, Mississippi's population was 23,452. Google Local says that there are 174 Seafood-specific restaurants


• But CC doesn't include, Port A, Ingleside, Rockport, etc. Add all of those and we're up to 48.

Destination Bayfront Letter to the Editor - Letters to the Editor: 02.11.10

A land grab?

To paraphrase Shakespeare, “There’s something rotten in Corpus Christi.“ The so-called Destination Bayfront smells like a land grab to me. Why am I not convinced that all those fine gentlemen are promoting their ideas for the good of Corpus Christi residents? Me thinks they do promote too much.

Where are your investigative reporters? Or are these among the demolished?

Janet Cooper

Joe was in a car wreck

SHOW NOTES - 02/06/10 - COMING BACK TO CORPUS

The first column came out Wednesday: Click Here

History of the column.

Tons of response.

If I had to categorize each email about it, many were from parents who wish their kids would come home.

In addition, Stephanie writes:

My story is quite the opposite. I moved away from Corpus and was gone for 15 years. I lived in a small town called Junction City, Kansas. You talk about nothing to do! You are able to tour the whole town of Junction City in 5 minutes.
I lived for the times I was able to come home and visit Corpus Christi. I never appreciated my home town more! Believe me, I was one of those people that said the same thing about Corpus. When the economy went South I Junction, we made the decision to move to Corpus. This has been the best thing I have ever done. We have now been here for a little over a year and absolutely love every minute of it! I am so glad you are doing this!!!!

Rudy Garza had reservations about coming home. Rudy is the city's director of intergovernmental relations.
Rudy's CC Bio here.

Big Destination Bayfront Presentation this Monday. Info here.

40 THINGS TO DO - THE LIST

In 2010, I'm doing 40 things I've never done in Corpus Christi to determine whether or not people are accurate when they say 'There's nothing to do in Corpus Christi."

Part of this adventure is designed to encourage you to get out there and do more. The list will unfold in advance so that you can do as many things as possible as well.

Here you go.

COMPLETED

January
1. Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival - January 9, 10

February
2. Go to the Homecoming basketball game at TAMUCC info - February 6
3. Listen to some jazz - Riverwalk Jazz at TAMUCC PAC info - February 11
4. Attend a Del Mar drama event info - Secret Rapture - February 27
5. CC Hammerhead's 2010 Home Opener info - February 28

March
6. Fulton Oysterfest info - March 4-7
7. Beethoven in a Bar - Chiara String Quartet at House of Rock info - March 28

April
8. Try 5 New Local Restaurants - They were: La Costenista, January; Takeniwa, April; Julio's, May; Acapulco, August; Enrique's, September
9. Walk across the Harbor Bridge - info - April 4
10. See a touring act - Elton John info - April 6
11. Go to the Botanical Gardens info - April 10
12. Visit the Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures info - April 17
13. Attend a TAMUCC drama event info - Twelfth Night - April 20-25
14. Catch an Independent Film - South Texas Cinematheque screening at Art Museum info - April 30

May
15. Go to the Buc Days parade info - May 1
16. Run in the Beach to Bay info - May 15

June
17. Go to the Southside Farmers' Market info - June 5
18. Go Sailing at the Wednesday night regatta races info - June 9
19. Aransas Pass Shrimporee info - June 11-13

July
20. Go on a self-guided public art tour info - July 11
21. Witness a Turtle Hatchling Release at Padre National Seashore info - July 17

September
22. Go on a Segway Tour - info - September 16
23. Hit a Comedy Club info - September 17
24. Celebration of Flight Hawk Watch & Birding Festival (Go birdwatching) - info - September 24-26
25. Go to the Hurricane Alley Roller Derby info - September 25

October
26. Ice Rays 2010-2011 season Home Opener info - October 1
27. Attend a Corpus Christi Symphony performance info - October 9
28. Catch a local live band that I've never seen
Battle of the Bands Finals at House of Rock in cooperation with Del Mar College - info - October 15
29. 2010 Corpus Christi Paddle Prix & Rally (Go Kayaking) info - October 23

November
30. Greek Festival info - November 5-7
31. Attend the Sparkling City Light Opera info - November 6
32. Attend the Jewish Food Festival info - November 13-14
33. King Ranch Ranch Hand Breakfast info - November 20

December
34. Create an event - Nerf Kids Nerf War - info - December 5
35. Head out to a few watering holes - It's a Wonderful Night Life Pub Crawl - info - December 9
36. Go to a Corpus Christi Ballet Performance - info - December 12
37. Visit the Texas South Wind Vineyard & Winery - info - December 16
38. Take a Trip down Candy Cane Lane - info - December 18

TO DO

December

39. Go Geocaching - info - December 21

And finally
40. Lose 20 Lbs. (develop an overall fitness lifestyle that takes advantage of the city's natural resources and become part of the solution instead of part of the problem

40 THINGS TO DO - THE RULES

In 2010, I'm doing 40 things I've never done* in Corpus Christi to ascertain whether or not people are accurate when they say 'There's nothing to do here."

When I hatched this scheme about mid-December I used the time between then and the new year to refine the rules and create my first pass at a list. 'Why rules?', you ask. Because you guys are going to tear me apart. Why didn't you do this? And why did you think this was good? or Why did you say that wasn't good? You think there's so much to do....there's nothing to do! etc. Don't believe me, go ahead and check out the FB page. Criticism already. So be it. This is important.

So here are my rules for our little adventure.

Rule #1: Try to remain as objective as possible. My goal is not to prove any pre-concieved opinion that there is or isn't much to do. Great cities offer their citizens a robust arts and cultural experience. This effort is more about grading what is out there.

Rule #2: Try to The Things as accessible as possible. This project will hopefully encourage you to get out there and try something new (or a few things). That said, I don't want to fill up the list with $100 items. It makes sense to try surfing or kiteboarding, but lessons for each can get up there quick. Wednesday night sailing sounds fun, but can anyone just show up and do it? There are some tickets and lessons that certainly cost a few pennies, and I will discuss those aspects of the events. Are average citizens not doing those types of things because they're cost-prohibitive?

Rule #3: All new Things*. If I'm using up 40 weekends to learn about the variety of CC's arts and culture, I will rely on my memory for the things I've done. If you haven't done these, though, you should start here: Harbor Playhouse, CC 7-Day Film Project, CC Hooks, Texas State Aquarium, Art Museum of South Texas, etc. All worth your time.

Rule #4: No restaurants. As much as I love B&J's Pizza and Hu-Dat, I'm not counting going to a restaurant as one of my 40 Things to Do for the purposes of this exercise. A Google Maps search for restaurants yields 2,500 listings in CC alone. There's no denying that the restaurant culture of a city is important, but for now I'm leaving them out of this list.

So only 4 Rules. That's not too stingy. Anything I missed?

Next Up: The First List

40 THINGS TO DO IN CORPUS CHRISTI 2010

What makes a 'great' city? When you travel somewhere exceptional, look around, and say to yourself, "This is a great city," what have you seen? What did you experience at this mecca that allows you to believe that?

It's probably different for everybody, but 'the experts' certainly have an opinion. Every year a slew of lists are produced discussing America's Top Places to Live or American's Best Cities.

I found several at the top of a quick google search: US News & World Report, CNN/Money, askmen.com...there are too many to list here.

The most popular and most quoted annual study about the best American cities is Money Magazine's and when you analyze the rest, most other lists have 'borrowed' heavily from Money's criteria. So how does Money Magazine (and essentially every other similar ranking) choose the best cities in America? What are the criteria? What must a city 'have'? They have broken it down into 8 factors. Excel at most or all of these and, theoretically, you're a great city.

FINANCIAL
Including median family income, job growth, etc.

HOUSING
Home Price, Property Taxes, etc.

EDUCATION
Test scores, Access to higher education, etc.

QUALITY OF LIFE
As they describe it: Crime, Commute time, etc.

LEISURE AND CULTURE
Things to do

WEATHER
Rainfall, Temperatures

HEALTH
Body Fat Index, Diabetes rates, Access to health care, etc.

OTHER POPULATION DATA
Median Age, %age that's completed some college, Racial Diversity, etc.

During 2010 I'm sure to discuss each of these from time to time, but my Theme for 2010 (theme?) on the show and in this blog occupies the 5th slot above: Things to do. More important or less important than the other factors? Not sure, but it's what I'm good at, so....shall we?

'There's nothing to do in Corpus Christi.' How many times have you heard that?

On its surface we know that's incorrect. There are bars, movie theaters, restaurants, a beach, a bayfront and quick access to fishing, hunting, and water sports. Everyone knows about The Hooks and most know about the Rayz. There's clearly 'stuff to do'.

So when people say 'there's nothing to do,' what do they mean? There's not as much to do as larger cities? There aren't things that they subjectively like to do? What kinds of things do they want to do that they can't do here? Are they doing the things there are to do?

This new year, I'm going to seek out and do 40 new things. It could have been 52, but that would have been a recipe for failure. So, 40 new things to do talk and write about in attempt to find out clearly what there is to do when you don't limit yourself. I'll be looking for trends. I'll be comparing us to cities larger and smaller than us.

Next up: The Rules and The List.