Today’s Dog on Monday is Tudy–a spoiled, pampered, and feisty Boston Terrier. She is six years old and her people are Mark Moss and Stacey Abbott of Houston. (Mark’s nickname for Tudy is School Bus.) Stacey Abbott is the owner/operator of fabulous and hip Spa 1107 in Montrose.  Stacey is a renowned color expert–they say you sit in her chair as a client and you leave as a friend.  Her salon also boasts stylists Renee Rawlinson, Yumi Matsushima, Mark Bocanegra, and Theresa Castillo. Tudy’s habits include hanging out with friends, wearing funny outfits, napping on an electric blanket, and chewing on wood. She’s quite the wood chipper too. At the park she will find a branch bigger than she and handily reduce it to ...

Someone once said about Galveston that if you just lower your expectations you won’t be disappointed. Well, I think that is a little harsh. I happen to adore the island, one might even say that I am gung ho.  I even had my own get-away there a few years back—but one shouldn’t have to lower expectations, rather just know what to expect. In my work I meet new transplants to Houston on a daily basis. I like to tell them about the museums, the restaurants, and “to do” list ideas. But when Galveston comes up they all seem to have the similar reaction—they’ve heard it’s terrible. Who are these worldly bon vivants who so quickly turn up a nose at Galveston ...

  Today’s feature photo, the old Munsterman Farm in Iatan, Missouri, comes from artist Kevin Munsterman–aka Mevin Kunsterman.  Though Munsterman is primarily known for his innovative contemporary paintings, I have come to realize that he’s also quite the photographer. Of today’s pic the artist says that it is the four room house where his grandparents, Ada and John, raised five children (Tommy, Bubby George, John, Newton, and Carol). “This was such a vibrant place to visit,” Munsterman says.  “Grandpa John would sit in the porch swing and roll his own cigarettes.  Grandma Ada would be cooking in the kitchen, planting flowers, or managing the chickens, pigs, dogs, cats… There was never a dull moment.”      

I remember going to Galveston when we were kids and of course my parents took us to Gaido’s. We were fascinated by the gargantuan crab on the roof with a placard “Caught in Galveston Bay”, debating whether or not it was real. It usually took about an hour to get a table but there was a gift shop to peruse and cases of cut crystal to view while waiting. And once seated that piping hot oval dish of Crab au Gratin made everything right in the world. Gaido’s is synonymous with seafood in Galveston. In 1911 San Giacinto Gaido opened the famous fresh fish house. Still family owned and operated by fourth generation Casey Gaido, the institution prides itself on the freshest seafood and the best service. I ...

Some people have no intention of creating art when they’re out and about, enjoying their day.  That is one of the great things about a feature photograph on Friday–it often celebrates the unintended artist.  Today’s Photo Friday pic is by Jennings native Roxanne LeGros Lasage.  Taken this week at the Jennings 1-10 Park, Roxi says of her inspiration, “The sun was shining on that duck’s beautiful green head.” Thanks for the photo, Roxi!

Today’s Dog on Monday is an English Springer Spaniel named Addie.  Addie will be 4 years-old on May 27th.  She’s an active dog who likes to run but she also loves to sleep as much as possible. Addie’s person is Jenah Darbonne of Jennings, Louisiana. Addie has beautiful field-bred Springer markings–covered head-to-toe with ticking or freckles.  She also has a full thick coat of fur which Jenah keeps in check with frequent grooming, as evidence by the pic above. What else makes Addie so special?  She’s not only a sweet and beautiful dog, she’s also Delta Dawn‘s mother! Thanks to Jenah for the fun photographs…    

What does it take to scandalize someone today? Kim Kardashian has her big ugly ass plastered across magazine covers; every Hollywood starlet trying to stay relevant promotes a sex tape; Bill Clinton had sex with an intern in the Oval Office; but for a 23 year-old socialite in 1884 Paris all it took was for John Singer Sargent to paint her Strapless! Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau was the “it girl” of Paris during the late 19th Century. A wealthy  Creole from Louisiana, she was considered one of the most elegant and beautiful women in France; a celebrated personality, she powdered her skin purplish white and rouged her earlobes red. And John Singer Sargent was still an up and coming talent when ...

Most English Springer Spaniels are at home running through a grassy meadow or trudging through the marsh. But after Delta Dawn‘s big day at the aniMeals Best Friends Brunch I realize that her ideal habitat is a luxury hotel. I wrote a post a month back about the aniMeals Best Friends Brunch (Kick-off party for Best Friends Brunch – TroysArt.com). The Best Friends Brunch benefited aniMeals on Wheels, a division of Interfaith Ministries Meals on Wheels program. I found out about the charity through my friends, sisters Kristy Phillips and Wendy Phillips who, with Teena Davis, served as brunch co-chairs. The program was conceived after Interfaith administrators for the Meals on Wheels program questioned drivers about what they were learning on their routes. ...

Given 100 people picked at random, I would venture to guess that you’d be lucky to find one who could identify a painting by Peter Paul Rubens. But I would also venture to guess that a good number of those would indeed recognize the name of Rubens as an important artist. We on the Gulf Coast now have an opportunity to brush up on our Baroque because the Rubens are spectacular at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Sir Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 – May 30, 1640) was a Flemish painter known for his extravagant Baroque style. Most of his body of work was religious subjects but he was also acclaimed for historical scenes, portraits, and landscapes. Baroque is ...

I received a notice from Facebook friend the other day announcing a pop-up art sale at Koelsch Haus Gallery in Houston. A pop-up art sale?  Of course I was intrigued. So when I arrived Franny Koelsch greeted me at the door and thanked me for attending. I told her that I had to attend, that I’d never been to a pop-up art sale before. To which she answered that she’d never had one before. When I walked into the main gallery the artist was sitting at a table stacked with cardboard posters. He was wearing blue denim overalls with a pink shirt which I now know to be his trademark look, regarding himself as a humble Negro printer.  That is how ...