Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Art and Politics in Austin

Although my time at the Capitol has been short and passed too quickly, my experience has been extremely enriching thus far. On the fourth day of my week long internship, I walked into the Capitol eager to gain as many new experiences as possible.

On top of seeing whatever I could of Austin…

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…I spent the first half of the work-week working in Senator Lois Kolkhorst’s office. Senator Kolkhorst’s office represents Senate District 18, however she used to represent Huntsville. Senator Kolkhorst’s office was very welcoming and willing to teach me some of the tasks required by interns. I spent time answering the phone, talking with concerned constituents, and researching for the Policy Advisor and General Counsel. This research allowed me to learn more about policy issues I was previously unfamiliar with. Additionally, I helped prepare for the Senate Health and Human Services Committee meeting that was to take place later in the week by compiling a binder for Senator Kolkhorst, who is the vice chair of the committee. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work in such a great Senate office!

Today (Thursday), I worked in Senator Charles Schwertner’s office. When he isn’t at the Capitol during Session, Senator Schwertner works as an orthopedic surgeon. He represents Senate District 5, which ranges from Georgetown to Bryan to Huntsville and, of course, SHSU. Ariel Traub, former LEAP President, former Austin Intern for Senator Schwertner’s office, and currently a District Representative for Senator Schwertner, trained me as an intern for the week.

Senator Schwertner is the Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. Today was an exciting day for our office because the Health Committee met to hear testimony regarding potential issues to be addressed in the 85^th Legislative Session.

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Ariel and I walked over to the Senate floor to observe the Committee meeting. Karla met us there and we were even allowed to sit on the Senate Floor like real staffers!

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We listened to the beginning procedures and the first testimony before heading back to the office. Although we did not stay for the entire committee hearing (it lasted over 7 hours!), I still learned about the actions, responsibilities, and procedures of Senate Committees. I spent my afternoon learning bill analysis, constituent correspondence, and the Correspondence Management System (CMS), all of which are extremely important to a Senate office. Thankfully, I had a wonderful team to help explain the many intricacies of the office. At the end of the day, I was thankful to have spent time in Senator Schwertner’s office and was already looking forward to the next day!

Just because our work day was finished, that didn’t mean our entire day was over!

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We took time today to take formal pictures to capture our experience of the mini-internship…

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…visited the Blanton Museum of Art, enjoyed a delicious dinner at Kerby Lane Café, and finished the evening at Paramount Theatre watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!

The Blanton Museum of Art housed many beautiful art pieces in a variety of mediums. We were fortunate to arrive during a special exhibit of Francisco de Goya’s (1746-1828).

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Addressing issues of abuses of power and war…

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…Goya’s work also expressed his belief in principles of progress, liberty, and tolerance during the Enlightenment. Blanton_Goya_All_Web

After enjoying the Goya exhibit, we transitioned upstairs where two pieces of Luis Jimenez were beautifully displayed. Both of his sculptures are made out of fiberglass and painted with automotive paint to give each piece a glossy shine. I respected his artwork because they depict the American West through a different perspective than a traditional painting or sculpture would.

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Also catching our eyes was the artwork of Cildo Meireles, Missao/Missoes (How to Build Cathedrals), which consisted of 2,000 bones and 600,000 pennies (all from the year 2005).

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There was also the work “Book from the Sky”, by Xu Bing, which featured some 4,000 invented characters to resemble the Chinese language in the form of printed documents on walls, floors, and, of course, from the sky.

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On a smaller scale, we also enjoyed works by Andy Warhol…

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…and David Sequeiros…

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After enjoying the many works of art, we departed to Kerby Lane Café for dinner before our movie!

A short drive later, we arrived at Kerby Lane Café, just off the edge of UT’s Campus. I was excited to try Kerby Lane Café because I kept hearing great reviews. Kerby Lane did not disappoint! Known for so many excellent dishes, it was hard to pick one! I ate the Portobello omelet with home fries and fruit with warm apple pie for dessert. It was a delicious meal and just what we needed after a busy day at the Capitol! This was our favorite meal of the week thus far!

More than a century old, Paramount Theatre’s beauty stands out on Congress Ave at night. As part of their Summer Classic Film Series, Paramount Theatre presented Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Paul Newman and Robert Redford starred in the classic Western movie. The movie is a classic for many reasons, some more obvious than others. For example, Professor Yawn explained that the movie was one of the first to incorporate a musical montage scene! Following the journey of western outlaws, the movie provided many laughs and was enjoyed by the LEAP Ambassadors!

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Upon conclusion of the film, we got a view of the upstairs of the theater. It was beautiful!

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But as the clock neared midnight, it was time to head back to the hotel to prepare for the final day of our mini-internship. Many thanks to Senator Kolkhorst and staff, Senator Schwertner and staff, the LEAP Center, and Professor Yawn for planning a week full of experiential learning!

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A Day in Austin With Alejandra Galvan

As we moved into the third day of our internships in Austin, we remained excited about heading to work in the monumental granite building that symbolizes Texas’s enduring pride–and, for us, symbolizes opportunity. There’s just something about entering the Capitol building and starting work in a legislative office.

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Traveling Through Time in Texas

Unlike the other SHSU interns, I had a somewhat different morning planned. I met with Speaker Straus’s staff and some of their interns, and we headed to the Stephen F. Austin building that houses the oldest agency in Texas: the General Land Office (GLO).

After Texas declared its independence in 1836, the GLO was created to determine “who owned what, and where.” This agency was used to end land disputes that were created during the migration to Texas after the Texas Revolution and to determine appropriate land grants to those who had served in the war. During the tour we were exposed to rare documents such as Davy Crockett’s land grant of 1,240 acres that was given to his family after the war. While reading the grant, we noticed a discrepancy in the dates. The document states: “Having served faithfully for the term of six months from the eighth day of January until the sixth day of March”(sic). But, of course, January to March isn’t six months. The discrepancy, we learned, stems from the fact that the office gave the families of those who died “more time” in Texas to ensure they earned more land.

Also of note was the letter William B. Travis wrote while under siege at the Alamo. Addressed to “The People of Texas and All Americans in the world,” Travis made a call for volunteers and promised to fight until “Victory or Death.”

Two other documents that sparked my interest were one of two original drafts of the Texas Constitution…

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…and a land patent signed by none other than the man himself, Sam Houston!

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Being able to see Sam Houston’s original signature is now the peak of my Bearkat pride.

In this era, the GLO manages state lands, operates the Alamo, helps Texans recovering from natural disasters, helps fund Texas public education through the Permanent School Fund, provides benefits to Texas Veterans, and manages the vast Texas coast and is the home of many original maps of Texas.

Lunch at Frank & Angies

After this interesting tour taking my back in Texas’s history, I, along with Kaitlyn, Megan, Karla and Beatriz had lunch at Frank and Angie’s with Eiman Siddiqui, the current Capitol Director for Representative Galindo and future chief of staff for the newly elected Representative Tom Oliverson, whose alma mater is SHSU!

While we all indulged in a supreme and a veggie pizza, Eiman was able to tell us about his past experiences as an intern at the capitol, a staff member and soon he might even tell us about being a chief of staff! We received invaluable advice from Eiman on what to do and what not to do while being an intern during the legislative session. We impersonated sponges during this conversation, absorbing all the information he had to share. We all appreciated the time that Eiman took out of his day to have lunch with us, and all of the advice that he was kind enough to share in such a short time frame.

New Offices

It was now time for another exciting change: at the official half-way mark of the week, we all (except for Beatriz) switched offices. Our switches included:

Hunter_Chapa_Web — Megan Chapa with Rep. Todd Hunter

Megan going from Representative Zerwas to Rep. Hunter’s Office
Kaitlyn going from Senator Kolkhorst to Senator Schwertner’s Office
Karla going from Senator Schwertner’s Office to Representative Zerwas’s Office
And me going from Representative Hunter’s office to Senator Kolkhorst’s office.

Having met her on a couple of occasions, I was looking forward to this experience.

I was given a tour as part of my orientation, and it was immediately clear that Senate offices are larger. After this short introduction, I was given the office manual, a newsletter sent by Senator Kolkhorst to her constituents, a packet covering intern duties, and a 15-minute new employee video to watch.

I learned more about Senator Kolkhorst, my duties, and how the office and the senate work. Also, I learned more about a hearing that takes place tomorrow, one that Senator Kolkhorst will attend!

Although summer is a slow time in the legislature, I helped greet two groups of students (one elementary, one high school) who stopped by to speak with staff, became acquainted with the staff, and learned the office equipment: phones, copiers, scanners, faxes, and printers.

It was an educational and productive day, one I hope lays the foundation for many more to come!

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High Hopes for a Bright Future in Austin, TX

After a day of getting our feet wet in the Capitol and of renewing acquaintances with LEAP Alumni, we were ready bright and early for Day Two in the Texas Legislature.

Megan_Selfie — Megan Chapa Heads to Work

Like yesterday, it was a day of learning. I am doing my learning, at least for the first half of the week, in Representative John Zerwas’s office.

Zerwas represents District 28–an area with which I am familiar because I was actually raised in the district. A graduate of Baylor College of Medicine, Rep. Zerwas is an Anesthesiologist who has served in the House of Representatives since 2006. He currently serves as the Chair of the Higher Education Committee, and he is a member of the Public Health Committee.

Dr. Zerwas’s chief of staff, Nelda Hunter, welcomed me and quickly assigned my duties. My project was to do research on Texas higher education admission policy and compare it to other states who have similar demographics or size. I had the unique opportunity to attend a briefing hosted by Representative Zerwas’s office. The briefing was a presentation done by a representative from Educate Texas, an advocacy council that specializes in post-secondary education in Texas. Its mission is to offer policy recommendations that improves the overall quality of higher education. This council is made up of education experts.

Less glamorous but as important, I was also able learn how to use the phones and the Correspondence Management System (CMS). Although it was only two and a half days in Representative Zerwas’s office, everything I learned was truly valuable and appreciated.

During my lunch “break,” Alex Galvan and I were able to meet with Erin Daly-Wilson, who works for Speaker Joe Straus. During the meeting she stressed the importance of interning and gave us tips on how to be an effective professional. I learned that the committee appointments are made within the first three weeks of session and the Speaker is elected on the first day of session by the House Members. Speaker Straus was elected in a special election in 2005 and now has three bodies of constituents: his San Antonio District, the House, and the entire state of Texas. The Speaker of the House is the 3^rd most important position in the legislature only following the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor. It was great meeting with such an experienced and dedicated individual and we were grateful she carved time out of her busy day for us.

Immediately following our work day we headed to Gourdough‘s, an extreme donut restaraunt, for a sweet meeting with Representative-Elect Ernest Bailes and his future chief of staff, Nick Raymond. Representative-Elect Bailes will be representing Huntsville in the State Legislature, so it was an honor to spend some time with him.

As a student who would like to intern during the Session, I asked Mr. Bailes numerous questions about the qualities he looks for in an intern and took mental note of his wise words.

Every interaction is an interview. Represent yourself well;
Open up and converse. People want to feel welcome when they walk into an office;
Offices look for young people who will be reliable, professional, and skilled.

Tuesday Night Excursion: Mount Bonnell

After a day of (we hope) climbing the ladder of success, we decided to also climb Mount Bonnell.

Climbing is a bit of an overstatement, because Mount Bonnell is more of a stroll, but it does offer very pretty views, to the east and the Austin Skyline…

Mount_Bonnell_Austin_Skyline_2_Cropped_Web — The Austin Skyline from Mount Bonnell

…and to the West…

Mount_Bonnell_Sunset_Web — The Colorado River at Sunset from Mount Bonnell

The elevation, sunset, and beautiful views prompted some fun photographs…

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…many of them utilizing all of Bonnell’s 780-foot elevation to prime advantage…

DCIM107GOPRO — Near the Peak of Mount Bonnell, at Sunset

Mount Bonnell is part of Austin’s impressive park system, one that helps the state’s capitol rank high in the “most fit cities” lists that crop up now and then. But although there are some trails on Mount Bonnell, it’s more of a place to enjoy the sunset…

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…or to enjoy a group outing…

…or simply to contemplate nature and the future…

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And after a day of building our skills, learning from others, and pursuing our dreams, we did indeed feel as though we had gotten a glimpse into a bright future.

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Eye-Opening in Austin

On June 13, 2016 Alex Galvan, Kaitlyn Tyra, Megan Chapa, Karla Rosales, and I headed into the Capitol for our first day as Austin interns.

Capitol_Selfie — SHSU Interns at the Texas Capitol

Unlike the rest of the SHSU students, however, this was my first time in Austin, and I could not help but look in awe at the marvelous building I would be working in for the week. As we got further inside, I stood on top of the terrazzo floor tiles forming the six seals of the six nations that had governed Texas…

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and I stood looking up at the dome.

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I spun in a circle and all around me I saw portraits of governors.

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Looking further up, I noticed that every floor had various portraits all around the rotunda and at the very top was a star painted on the dome. With the sun shining through the windows all around me, I hoped it was a premonition of the day ahead and that the wonder would be only a taste compared to the amazing things I would later discover.

As soon as I entered through the door of Representative Armando “Mando” Martinez’s office, I was cheerfully greeted by his Chief of Staff, Scott Jenkines. Mr. Jenkines made me feel right at home as he explained the expectations and rules of the office. With Mr. Jenkines being from Weslaco, we reminisced about the Rio Grande Valley, and discussed the many issues the people there were facing, as well as different possibilities that Representative Martinez was trying to implement to try and help these issues get fixed.

To start off the day, Mr. Jenkines led me through the maze that was the Capitol and took me to get my photograph taken for my ID. He also offered a quick tour and, again, my head spun round and round, as we took turn after turn, leading me deeper and deeper into the Capitol. I was shown where the Capitol Grille was, the place to go when anyone inside was hungry; we passed by the post office (grabbing the mail in the process); and we saw the different committee offices, especially Transportation and Higher Education, which are two of the committees Representative Martinez is heavily involved in.

The House of Representatives, where Representative Martinez votes, was closed for renovation, but the Senate Gallery was open and splendid!

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One of the most interesting things I learned about the Capitol was the process of hanging the governors’ portraits. Heading back, Mr. Jenkines explained that when a new governor’s portrait was added (only after they leave office), each of the portraits has to be moved exactly one spot backwards, meaning every single portrait has to be removed and rehung.

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At another stop on the tour, we visited the library, almost directly beneath Representative Martinez’s office. On the library walls are paintings of the judges. One stood out: The Portrait of the Unknown Judge.

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It is interesting that an unknown judge could make it on to the wall of the capitol and yet not have anything known about him.

Once I got back to the office, I got to meet Jack Walls, a Baylor intern who is also be interning at Representative Martinez’s office. He showed me the basics of the typical office day for an intern: answering phone calls, navigating the computer system, and communicating with people. Then I was left to my own devices so that I could read and learn more in depth about bills, statutes, and committees.

Later in the day, Mr. Jenkines received a call that my ID was ready. As we were heading back up to the office I got to show off my brand new name tag.

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Later, still, I would get a nameplate, just like a real employee!

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At the office, Mr. Jenkines mentioned a leadership program called “Subiendo”. This program was aimed at high-school students so that they can gain leadership skills during a training in which they can learn about and address different issues going on in the real world today. This event takes place on Wednesday, and I will have the chance to go along as part of the Representative Martinez team.

At the end of the day, Professor Yawn took us to a vegetarian restaurant called Mother’s. We were greeted by Blake Roach, Melva Gomez, and Emily Johnson who were alumni and part of the Junior Fellows when they were at SHSU. Everyone relaxed and spent a pleasant evening in this quaint little restaurant. We were all a bit thrown off by the lack of meat (Vegetarian isn’t big in the Valley), but it was an interesting experience to see the wonderfully creative recipes they had instead. I had the plate called Momma’s Quiche. We left after various elaborated talks of the past memories and the new ones being created.

It was a special day, one made so by my boss, Scott Jenkines; and by Megan Chapa and Alejandra Galvan, who made a trip to the Valley to take me to Austin; and the opportunities that come with being an SHSU student.

Capitol_Night_Beatrice_Kaitlyn_2_Web — Beatriz Martinez and Kaitlyn Tyra at the Capitol

Beatriz Martinez is finishing her first year at SHSU. She is eighteen-years old but, amazingly, has completed 100 hours, compiling a cumulative GPA of 3.90 (and a 4.0 at SHSU). She is the youngest of the LEAP Ambassadors.

Leaving the Lower Valley

Our final day in the Valley was mostly a travel day, but we did have a chance to visit some Valley tourist attractions.

Although it wasn’t spring break, we did manage to step foot on South Padre Island. After “missing” a turnoff, we drove over a giant bridge, taking us to the spring-break hot spot. Our visit lasted just long enough for a photo op…

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…before heading to the Port Isabel Lighthouse.

The Lighthouse was constructed because of heavy shipping traffic. It was completed in 1851 and has been standing for more than a century and a half, with a light that could be seen for almost 16 miles. During the Civil War, the lighthouse was used as an observation point and afterward, it continued to guide ships until it was permanently abandoned in 1905.

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The lighthouse now serves not only as a tourist attraction, but also as a community engagement point. For the past twelve years, for example, it has hosted a cinema night, where visitors come to watch films together.

Lighthouse Establishment Cinema (LHEC) at the historic Port Isabel Lighthouse! Fridays, June & July, 9:30 p.m. FREE to the public!

The people who show up for the movie obviously have a great tolerance for humidity, which we found somewhat oppressive. It did not, however, prevent us from waiting our turn in line to get to the top. Depressingly, the people who were exiting the lighthouse would tell us, “Gosh, it feels like a sauna up there.” This was bad news, because we felt like the bottom of the lighthouse was already sauna-like.

Undaunted, we made our trek up to the top, where we admired a view of an endless sea in some directions, touristy shops in other directions (Pirate Jack’s Gifts!), refineries in still another direction, and a view of South Padre from another.

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It was the LEAP Center’s third trip to a lighthouse, the other two being at Tybee Island (next to Savannah) and Biloxi, MS. Although the Port Isabel lighthouse had a bit of charm, it lacked the local support, the scenery, and the amenities of the other two we had visited.

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And, with that, we headed back to Huntsville, where we would have less than 24 hours to prepare for our venture to Austin, Texas, for a trial internship in the state’s legislature.

A Second Day in the Valley

After a day of travel, we were ready for some substantive education about local government. Our day met our expectations, with an overview of COGs, Interlocal Agreements, Public Information Requests, Emergency Operations Center, and lots of acronyms.

Professor Yawn met with Ron Garza, the Deputy Director of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Council of Government, where he learned about the process of joining a COG, the dues required, innovations in local government in the Valley, and the process for selecting board officers.

For us, our day began with lunch at The Republic of the Rio Grande, a restaurant notable for its food and rich history. In November 1838 Antonio Canales argued that Mexico should re-adopt the Federalist constitution, however those who preferred a more central government rebelled and began to move into Texas. The land became known as the Republic of the Rio Grande, with Laredo being its Capitol. However, in 1840 after multiple battles and defeats, the Republic of the Rio Grande fell but lives now as a dining experience that we enjoyed.

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Megan ordered an Italian Supreme Pizza…

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…and Alex and Beatriz tried the chicken dishes. Everyone enjoyed the wide spectrum of dishes the restaurant offered and the history that made it unique. With appetite satisfied, we set off for a meeting with Nancy Cuellar, the Emergency Management Analyst for the City of McAllen.

The appointment was to learn more about the City’s 3-1-1 program and other technological adoptions by the City. But Ms. Cuellar taught us much more than one specific program. We learned about Emergency Management, grant writing, collaborating with counties, COGs, other cities, state agencies, and the federal government. I (Beatriz) was amazed at Ms. Cuellar’s knowledge and inspired by her passion. So much goes into planning, looking for solutions to problems, compromising, and using people’s ingenuity to make the Valley a better place to live.

She also took us to the 3-1-1 headquarters, where we met Marco Tovias. He went into detail about the response center and demonstrated the workings of the 3-1-1 app. I was amazing at the ease with which the app worked. Snap a photo of a pesky pothole, backed-up sewage, or even a vehicle parked in the grass (a code violation!) and submit it. The issue then goes to the response center, is forwarded to the appropriate department, and help is on the way.

With new technology new problems and issues arise that need to be addressed. While asking questions about the program we learned about the process of a private information request, if the program could be used for emergencies (it should not be since assistance is not available 24/7) and the most interesting to me, the legal aspects of having a 3-1-1 program. Ms. Cuellar and Mr. Tovias’ desire to make a difference was admirable and palpable in their demeanor and they were eager to inform us as citizens of their goals to make McAllen a better place through myriad programs.

We then had a tour of the second story of the building where all of the emergency management staff is stationed. During the tour we learned more about the building and how grants helped make it possible. It’s obvious that Ms. Cuellar was dedicated to the City and its functions. Before leaving, Ms. Cueller even offered us to contact her if we would like to be an intern for the Emergency Management Office of McAllen!

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After an exciting tour we headed back to the hotel for some rare downtime.

After some relaxation, we gathered and headed to dinner. We all agreed that we would like to have a light dinner tonight and went to Jasons Deli. Professor Yawn prefers to eat only at restaurants that are native to the area we are visiting, but one of our Ambassadors had never been to Jason’s Deli so we used that as our “reason” for going to a chain restaurant to eat during our trip. The salad bar and soup for dinner was a refreshingly light change for dinner. Megan enjoyed a chicken panini sandwich with fresh strawberries and cream that were super sweet. When we had all finished our meals, we treated ourselves to a little bit of ice cream and more conversation. Once we were all finished with our ice cream, we headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep to prepare us for the long journey back to “Home Sweet Huntsville.”

From Baseball to Bowling: Striking Out for the Valley

After a morning of art and aquarium life in Corpus Christi, we set out for the Valley. The night before, we went to a baseball game–Alex’s first. Tonight, we stumbled upon a bowling alley next to our hotel in Weslaco, and decided to play a couple of rounds–our first in a very long time!

Beatriz Martinez, LEAP Ambassador and valley resident, joined us for the bowling game.

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It had been a while since any of us had bowled so we knew it would be…interesting. All of us bowled pretty well the first game, which Megan won the first game–showing exquisite form.

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Our second game, however, showed a marked dropoff among everyone except for Professor Yawn, who seemed energized by his loss to Chapa in game one. In fact, he thinks he bowled his best game ever. He won after posting nine strikes (!)–while the rest of us spent significant time nursing sore arms from our efforts in game one.

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It was a fun time filled with both embarrassing and proud moments!

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Happy to say all of us made at least one strike!

For dinner we tried a highly recommended restaurant named Arturos. We started off with Queso Flameado with tortillas and Avocado Pico de Gallo that we enjoyed while waiting for our meals. Megan ordered Tacos de la Calle, which she said had amazing fajita meat; I ordered something that I had never tried before, Enchiladas Suizas, which were chicken enchiladas topped with tomatillo sauce and oxaca cheese. Beatriz and Professor Yawn split the Special Mexican Plate that allowed them to taste a little bit of everything. We then had Tres Leches Cake and a Caramel Crepe for dessert.

With the bowling and the food, it was a sweet (and spicy!) way to begin our time in the Valley!

Corpus Christi in Six Hours

It’s not easy to prioritize your time in a City when you have just five hours to spend, but we did a pretty good job of it.

Our morning began by visiting The Texas State Aquarium. As a fish enthusiast, Megan was especially looking forward to this underwater adventure. We began with a shark exhibit…

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…before moving on to the Lion Fish and Electric Eels. One of the highlights was seeing the Aquarium staff in full scuba gear feeding these fish.

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The Museum’s exhibits are well configured, giving you the opportunity to see them up close. The jellyfish exhibit, for example, is in low light, highlighting the animals translucent tissue.

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The sea otters, crocodile, and bald eagle were outside, and they were in separate exhibits, again configured in such a way as to maximize human interaction with the animals. In the case of the sharks and stingrays, we could even put our arms in the water and “lightly touch the animals with two fingers.”

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The true highlight of the aquarium are the dolphins. The trainers brought out four dolphins, two of which were especially good at tricks. Through mimicry, these dolphins learn to clap, jump out of the water, do flips, swim on their back, and even splash the audience! Our favorite was a three-spin flip.

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Next door to the Aquarium is the city’s Art Museum of South Texas. The museum is housed in a structure designed by Philip Johnson and made from shellcrete.

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The current exhibit in the Museum was of Texas Mixed Media, and my favorite artist represented was Mary McCleary, who is actually a Professor of Art at Stephen F. Austin University. In her artist statement, she indicates she takes found objects and layers them onto paper in a way that “conveys an intensity which the viewer finds compelling.” That was the case for me (Alex), and I’d like to see more of her work.

We also had a chance to see another Dale Chihuly, and I learned about the “Art Guys,” who have a work composed of clear glass tubes horizontally placed on the wall and filled with broken glass.

Megan, too, found a new artist she liked: Bill Meek. A glass artist from Houston, his piece “Catharsis” is in a sun room overlooking a piece by Jesus Moroles outside the building.

Speaking of which, the exterior of the Museum is as intriguing as the interior. The walkway to the building includes a large, ringed fountain.

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Off to the side is a large piece by James Surls, who graduated from Sam Houston State University.

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With all the art hitting close to home, we decided to stray outside the box for lunch. Thus we went to a Vietnamese Restaurant (literally called “Vietnam Restaurant”) in Corpus Christi. This seemed like an unlikely pairing, but the food was truly good. I (Megan) ordered the Vietnam Fried Rice, which was delicious; Alex had the Vermicelli Noodles with grilled chicken; and Professor Yawn had the restaurant’s signature “Hot Pot” which, after being slow cooked for 25 minutes was, indeed, hot! And very good. It was our favorite restaurant thus far in the trip.

Before leaving Corpus, however, we felt somewhat compelled to visit “Mirador de la Flor,” which is a memorial to Selena, the Tejano singer. Selena was shot at the age of 23 but she sold more than a million albums in her short career and paved the way for other Hispanic singers.

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And with that visit, we closed down our time in Corpus Christi. Although “hooked” by the beaches, baseball, sea-life, and art, we had business in the Rio Grande Valley, so southward we roamed.

But not before getting drinks at Coffee Wave. We cannot recommend this enough! The coffee was good; the Mexican Hot Chocolate was excellent, even on a summer day; and the Chai Tea Latte was amazing! And with that, we waved goodbye to Corpus Christi!

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