Original Story At DallasNews.com

By JUNE NAYLOR
Special Contributor
Published: 12 April 2012 03:25 PM

PORT ARANSAS — The passing of decades changed Port Aransas an awful lot, I decide upon arrival a couple of weeks ago. Or, I think after a day or two, perhaps not much at all. The more I melt into the town at the northern tip of Mustang Island, very near Corpus Christi, the greater my reconnection grows to the cherished escape of my childhood.

Back in the 1960s and ’70s, my family’s favorite vacation was a weeklong escape to Port Aransas. The drive from Dallas seemed interminable, so great the overwhelming anticipation of long days of simply playing in the waves. Once we would board the ferry from Aransas Pass across to the island, the sea air scent I will forever associate with Port A assured my senses that we were back at our happiest place.

It was ideal for a family on a budget: Rent a little beach cottage with a screened-in porch, located so that we could quickly walk to the beach. My sisters and I would romp in the waves and build sandcastles, and obey Mom’s instructions to watch for jellyfish, then whine just a little when she declared we’d had enough sun. We’d buy freshly netted shrimp from one of the little shacks near the ferry landing, cook meals at the cottage, read books, play Monopoly and, on a special splurge evening, have dinner at the Tarpon Inn, famous for having hosted Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Today’s experience, it turns out, still offers all that — and more. Getting out of the car as I rode the ferry across to Port A, I can smell the briny — yet somehow sweet — gulf air, and I was a little kid again.

Once we drive into the sleepy fishing village of my childhood, it’s evident that shopping and dining options exploded over the years. The options for exploring this coastal Texas treasure boggle my mind.

Locals and visitors enjoy zipping about in their golf carts — the cart-rental business ranks among the booming industries here. The proliferation of upscale condo developments, along with the addition of an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, suggests that you could easily part with your savings in Port A. But a close look around reveals a wealth of pleasures for guests of all budgets.

Here are some of my favorite finds in my rediscovery of what I still think is the best escape on the Texas coast. Spend a little, or a lot. The rewards will be the same.

Back to nature

If money’s no object, book a daylong tour with Stray Cat Sailing Adventures for dolphin-watching, birding and play time on St. Joseph Island. The 32-foot catamaran can take a family of six aboard; it’s outfitted with a bath and shower, too. You can even bring your dog. You’ll spend $225 for four hours, $350 for a full day (straycatsailingadventures.com). The Wharf Cat is one of the large “party” boats, meaning you join a bunch of other folks for a half-day or daylong fishing adventure. Prices start at $25 for kids, $40 for adults (wharfcat.com). A helpful list of fishing and boating charters can be found at portaransas.org.

One of the best-kept secrets remains the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, an excellent place for free programs that introduce kids and adults to the seaside environs. Displays in the main building include an artfully designed exhibit of sand from around the world; it’s hard to believe sand can differ so much in texture and color. There’s an exhibit on whooping cranes and the story of their rescue from the brink of extinction. Films shown in the auditorium include Can the Gulf Survive?, a look at oil spills and other threats.

Several aquariums inside the UTMSI hold native fish, including some creepy-looking eels sure to give kids a thrill. Guided wetlands walks take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but you can follow the boardwalks to read displays on self-guided tours, too. Head to 750 Channel View Drive in Port Aransas, not far from the ferry landing. Visit scienceandthesea.org and utmsi.utexas.edu for information.

At the Port Aransas Nature Preserve, which covers 1,200 acres on the north side of the island, along the Corpus Christi Channel, you can walk or bike various trails of one-fourth mile to one mile in length around dunes and overlooking sand flats and marshes to catch glimpses of native and visiting birds (cityofportaransas.org/Nature_Preserve.cfm).

At the nearby Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, follow a raised boardwalk (it’s wheelchair accessible) over an expansive pond, over cattails and up an observation tower to get a good look at all manner of feathered friends. Gators named Boots and Bags may or may not reveal themselves, but you can’t help but wonder how many of the ducks wind up as lunch for these reptiles. Local flowers and plant life mark the entrance to the nature trail, where a 9 a.m. Wednesday guided walk introduces you to the flora and fauna (cityofportaransas.org/Leonabelle_Turnbull_Birding_Center.cfm).

About 20 miles south of Port Aransas, Padre Island National Seashore remains one of Texas’ greatest assets: The longest undeveloped barrier island in the United States, this refuge delivers plenty of free programming for the $10-per-vehicle admission fee. Family-friendly birding tours take place most mornings and on Saturday afternoons, as well. Every day during the noon hour, park rangers lead a deck talk about the beach, the gulf, birds, fish and the flotsam and jetsam that washes up throughout the year. Visitors should bring a box lunch. Check with the park office to find out about added programs, which can be numerous. The park store sells plenty of birding and wildlife books for all ages, too (nps.gov/pais/).

You’ll glimpse plenty of gulls and perhaps a pelican or 20 while playing a round on the relatively new Newport Dunes, the gorgeous Arnold Palmer-designed golf course unfolding along the seashore. Newport Dunes, which sits right next to the Gulf of Mexico, is a par-71 course that gives you plenty of challenges in the way of wind from the ocean, rolling fairways and fast greens. The layout is similar to Scottish links, with stacked-wall bunkers and fairways banked by native grasses. Open to the public, Newport Dunes offers half-, full- and two-day schools, clinics and camps for men, women and junior golfers, too. Rounds at the standard (nonholiday) rates start at $85, and the twilight round starts at $55 (newportdunesgolf.com).

Off to the shops

Some T-shirt and surf shops look virtually unchanged in the past 30 years, though I feel sure that best selection of cheap flip-flops may be at the Walgreen’s near my home. We’re finding better deals on souvenir beverage holders at the IGA Family Center, when we stop in to stock up on bottled water and other necessities for the condo.

Better shopping greets us at Cita Resort Interiors and at Susan Castor Collection, both on North Alister Street, the main drag. Both stores stock beautiful furniture and home accessories, and Cita also sells casual women’s clothes and jewelry. You need a pretty healthy wallet to fill shopping bags at these two stops.

The Pink Marlin’s inventory of T-shirts and tanks for women who fish makes this my favorite boutique — and I don’t happen to live to fish. “Reel Baby Reel” and “Live. Love. Fish” are among the slogans emblazoned on some of the better-quality T-shirts in town. This one’s on Alister, too (mypinkmarlin.com).

Mustang Island Art Gallery exhibits work by local and regional artists, with paintings figuring chiefly among works. Collectors looking for riches in bluebonnet scenery and other landscapes will have plenty of pricey art to peruse here, along with bronzes and impressive works in wood (2222 Highway 361, mustangislandartgallery.com).

A pleasing selection of vintage photography figures among the collections at the Port Aransas Museum, a good place to learn the town and island’s story. Of particular interest are recordings sharing the oral histories of locals, whose time here began as long ago as the 1920s. Admission is free at the museum, which is open afternoons, Thursday though Saturday (101 E. Brundrett St., portaransasmuseum.org).

June Naylor is a Fort Worth freelance writer.

LODGING

Cinnamon Shore now ranks as the most luxurious stay. A new development about 30 percent completed to date, the homes and condos on paved streets lined with palm trees impart an updated Victorian look. Roughly one-third of the current homeowners lease their properties. When the development is complete, about half of the 200 single-family homes and 100 condos will be available for lease. Movies are shown on summer evenings on the Great Lawn, and artist events are held on the property’s town center. There’s an infinity swimming pool and a larger pool is under construction. A boardwalk linking the community to the beach is wide enough to accommodate golf carts. The Cinnamon Shore concierge can provide connections for services like surfing and kayaking lessons or a personal chef for your house or condo. Condos lease for $250 to $450 per day; one of the largest homes, offering five bedrooms, is $1,200 per day (5009 Highway 361, cinnamonshore.com).

High- and low-rise condos give you lots of choices (see a full listing at portaransas.org).

Midrange

A midrange hotel option with plenty of character remains the Tarpon Inn, just off the harbor in the center of Port A. An 1886 landmark, the Tarpon has been extensively updated to achieve a nice balance between old charm and mostly modern comfort, with all 24 rooms opening on a wide, shady porch with rocking chairs. Rooms start at $89 and suites at $195 (200 E. Cotter Ave., thetarponinn.com).

On a budget

Although Laughing Horse Lodge’s cinder-block cabins don’t look like much from the outside, the interiors are cheery, clean and colorful and come with kitchens or kitchenettes. It’s an easy walk to the beach. Rates start at $75 (503 E. Ave. G; alaughinghorselodge.com).

Mariner Inn and Suites is a clean motel with essentially comfortable rooms, if a bit worn at the edges. It has a pool and friendly staff. The suites provide a kitchenette and room to spread out, but the decor might remind you of early college dorm room; rates start at $49 (2607 Highway 361; portagetaway.com/Mariner_Inn___Suites.html).

Sea and Sand Cottages take me back to the stays of my childhood: Brightly painted exteriors of petite, 1950s-era wood-frame houses open to simple, comfortable-enough interiors with kitchens for cooking your own shrimp, a living room perfect for playing Monopoly and porches good for reading. Rates start at $120. The beach is a short walk away, and you can’t put a price on that (Avenue E at 10th Street; seaandsandscottages.com).

DINING

Lisabella’s is the dining spot at Cinnamon Shore. The warm goat cheese, smeared on grilled crostini, starts dinner in the right vein, with the plate of baby greens, decorated with walnut bits, sliced pear, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and balsamic vinaigrette the appropriate chaser. Freshly caught snapper gets pan-grilling, then a treatment of tomatoes, basil, capers, garlic and lemon zest. I’m high on the grilled pizza topped with shrimp, pancetta, red onion, tomato, jalapeño, goat cheese, mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil. A nice wine list and full bar make this high-end spot a destination (lisabellas.com).

Shell’s has an ambitious blackboard menu. A longtime favorite with locals and veteran visitors, this unassuming joint turns out a mean bowl of pasta riddled with shrimp or lump crab meat, along with massive, thoughtfully compiled salads and sinfully good garlic bread, all at moderate prices (522 Ave. G, eatatshells.com).

For a killer burger topped with avocado and bacon, Port Aransas Brewing Company stands as the best bet. More than 100 different craft and mainstream beers — including five made on-site — will satisfy most brew nerds (429 N. Alister St., portabrewing.com).

For a particularly gratifying, cheap breakfast, Avery’s Kitchen does the job with massive omelets, good biscuits and gravy and plenty of strong coffee (200 W. Ave. G, averyskitchen.com).

Port Aransas lures us back

Easter Egg Hunt at The Great Lawn

Granville Automatic

Spring Break 2012 Happenings

Cinnamon Shore Best Picture Contest

Warren Buffett says along with equities, single-family homes are a very attractive investment right now.

Appearing live on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Buffett tells Becky Quick he’d buy up “a couple hundred thousand” single family homes if it were practical to do so.

If held for a long period of time and purchased at low rates, Buffett says houses are even better than stocks.

(Click here to read the full article and watch the interview)

“I’d Buy Up ‘A Couple Hundred Thousand’ Single-Family Homes If I Could” – Warren Buffett on CNBC

Best/Worst States for Business

May 3 2011 by JP Donlon

View Original Article

More than 500 CEOs considered a wide range of criteria, from taxation and regulation to workforce quality and living environment, in our annual ranking of the best states for business. The charts and articles in this special report show how each state fares on the factors most essential for a business-friendly environment—as well as what states are doing to attract and retain companies in the increasingly competitive battle to win site selection.

While the Lone Star State may not be perfect—many leaders would like to see improvements in its education system—it is Periclean Athens compared to California in the eyes of the 550 CEOs surveyed for Chief Executive‘s seventh annual report on the best and worst states in which to do business. It’s the seventh time in seven years running that Texas has led the states, and the seventh year California—to no one’s great surprise—ranked as worst state.

But there has been some jockeying within the ranks. The Golden State was closely followed in the hall of shame by New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Michigan, with Illinois elbowing its way past New Jersey this year for the dubious distinction of third worst. Meanwhile, among the best states, Indiana jumped to sixth place from 16th in 2010, giving Hoosiers the third-biggest advance in the rankings in a single year.

Wisconsin and Louisiana posted the two biggest gains since 2010, with the latter, along with Oklahoma, also showing the biggest gains over the last five years. By proactively reshaping its posture toward business taxation and regulation, Louisiana has been quietly stealing pages from the Texas playbook.

By contrast, Illinois has dropped 40 places in five years and is now in a death spiral. Its bond ranking is 49th, ahead of only California. The state may play host to fugitive state senators from nearby Wisconsin and Indiana who avoid voting in their home legislatures, but businesses are heading for the exits. Doug Oberhelman, CEO of Peoria-based Caterpillar, is raising the specter of moving the heavy equipment maker out of Illinois. In a letter to Gov. Pat Quinn, he wrote, “The direction that this state is headed in is not favorable to business, and I’d like to work with you to change that.”

Business leaders graded the states on a variety of categories grouped under taxation and regulation, workforce quality and living environment. “Do not overtax business,” offered one CEO. “Make sure your tax scheme does not drive business to another state. Have a regulatory environment and regulators that encourage good business—not one that punishes businesses for minor infractions. Good employment laws help too. Let companies decide what benefits and terms will attract and keep the quality of employee they need. Rules that make it hard, if not impossible, to separate from a non-productive employee make companies fearful to hire or locate in a state.”

Not surprisingly, states with punitive tax and regulatory regimes are punished with lower rankings, and this can offset even positive scores on quality of living environment. While state incentives are always welcome, what CEOs often seek are areas with consistent policies and regulations that allow them to plan, as well as intangible factors such as a state’s overall attitude toward business and the work ethic of its population.

This is one reason Texas has consistently held the No. 1 position since 2005. It gets strong marks in all areas important for business creation, and has the second-lowest taxes in the nation. The state has created more jobs than any other—about 250,000 last year. Not surprisingly, it also enjoys the highest inward net migration rate of any state. As a result, Texas gained four Congressional seats, Florida picked up two and Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington each gained one. All have low taxes. Brian Domitrovic, assistant professor of history at Sam Houston State University, identifies a key factor that often goes unnoticed. “Texas offers high labor market flexibility, which is a key element in business creation,” he notes.

On the downside, Texas has also attracted more job seekers over the years, threatening to overwhelm its rate of job creation. The state attracted 4.3 million people over the last decade, the most of any state. Unemployment has edged closer to the national average. It also faces a $27 billion shortfall in its 2011-12 budget, which may force cuts in areas where Texas needs to invest— namely education and infrastructure—just to keep up.

Some high-tax states can overcome this disadvantage when other conditions are right. San Jose, Calif.-based Cypress Semiconductor acquired an existing wafer-fabrication plant in Bloomington, Minn., and is growing the facility for the third time. “We found a good Midwestern work ethic, great stability and good schools,” CEO T.J. Rodgers said. “It’s an excellent plant comparable in cost to what we can get in China.”

California, once a business friendly state, continues to conduct a war on its own economy. According to the Pacific Research Institute, it has the fourthlargest government of all U.S. states, with spending equal to 18.3 percent of GDP. The comparable figure for Texas is 12.1 percent. Survey respondents uniformly say the state’s regulators are hostile. “No one in his right mind would start a new manufacturing concern here,” said one California CEO.

Although California is not unique in pursuing policies that prompt wealth and job creators to expand elsewhere, (New York being a good example), the Golden State seems uniquely oblivious to the effect its labor and other regulations are having on its innovative and growth-oriented Silicon Valley. Job growth in the Valley has flatlined. Firms keep their HQs there, but pursue growth in friendlier states. Google, Intel, Cisco and other companies locate new plants in states such as Arizona, Utah, Texas, Virginia or North Dakota.

Sacramento seems to take perverse delight in job-killing legislation, of which the pair of bills known as California’s “Green Chemistry Initiative” that former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law in September 2008 serve as an example. The regulations mandated that “manufacturers seek safer alternatives to toxic chemicals in their products, and create tough governmental responses for lack of compliance.” When the 92-page final set of commands was issued, the “green community” demanded a rewrite with even tougher requirements. Writing in the Washington Examiner, Chapman University Law professor Hugh Hewitt said that the new rules will mandate testing and labeling changes on tens of thousands of products, likely triggering product recalls. “Take whatever you think is the worst regulatory regime out there, and expand it exponentially.”

Then there is the state’s carbon emission law (AB 32), which the Small Business Roundtable and PRI say will cost half a million in foregone jobs in 2011 and up to 1.3 million jobs by 2020. What’s more, it is by no means certain the law will reduce carbon emissions since it only applies to California.

Fortunately, there are states that have come to their senses. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who confronts one of the nation’s worst pension underfunding problems, is using the prospect of insolvency to push for significant pension reductions. In his move to end public sector collective bargaining to get control of the state’s budget, Wisconsin’s Scott Walker made Chris Christie appear reasonable. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels slowed state government payrolls to the point where Indiana has the nation’s fewest state employees per capita. In addition, while at least 35 states raised taxes during the recession, Indiana cut them.

These are some of the actions that encourage business leaders. As another CEO respondent remarked, “We need some political backbone to control spending, address out-of-control debts, and use common sense on environmental and other governmental regulations. Quit demonizing businesses. Who do they think provide real jobs?”

Culture Counts

Beyond schools and affordable housing, culture can play a significant role in regional economics, according to a 2010 study by the Italian consulting firm The European House-Ambrosetti. In analyzing the economic impacts of cultural institutions, Ambrosetti found a combined overall direct and indirect impact multiplier of 1.34—meaning that every $1 invested in culture produces $1.34 in GDP. What’s more, the U.S. ranks highest in leveraging its cultural institutions (see chart).

In 2010, a similar study, “Arts & Economic Prosperity,” found the U.S.’s non-profit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion, and accounts for $7.9 billion in local tax revenue. For example, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum generates $73.4 million by attracting people from up to 100 miles away. Companies like Dow Chemical and Eli Lilly also use the museum to recruit executives with families, says Jeffrey Patchen, the museum’s CEO. “Not everyone can afford to go to Disneyland.”

TX ranked best state for business every year since 2005

Statemans Homes Articles

Texas Coast Taking Off With New Communities

Published Oct 2, 2008

Jeff Lamkin, CEO of the Atlanta-based Sea Oats Group, recently won a 2008 Top 25 Entrepreneurs Award from Catalyst Magazine. Lamkin cites the success of his current real estate development project Cinnamon Shore, the first New Urbanism community on Texas’s Coastal Bend, for winning the award.

Although many developers are struggling in the failing real estate market, Lamkin is enjoying a steady rise of success at Cinnamon Shore. Sales in the beach community have more than doubled over the past year. Lamkin, an Alpharetta resident, attributes this growth to undiscovered beaches, accessibility and affordability. He says of Cinnamon Shore, “Lot prices here start at $125,000, and home prices start in the high $300,000’s, which is a bargain among comparable offerings in Florida and California.”

The Sea Oats Group and Cinnamon Shore are just two of Lamkin’s accomplishments since he began his career 16 years ago. Lamkin is a serial entrepreneur and success enabler who possesses a passion for business and serves as a catalyst for growing companies. After running three other successful businesses, in addition to his position at Sea Oats Group, he currently serves as Chairman/CEO of simplifyMD Instant Digital Chart Room, on the Board of Advisors for Insight Sourcing and as investor in PetDoc.com and Influent Corporation.

Released each year, Catalyst’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs recognizes those who are leading Atlanta’s small-to-mid-sized business community. After conducting field interviews, reviewing financial data and compiling evaluation results, the selection team considered four equally weighted factors to rank this year’s honorees: growth, profitability, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

Sea Oats Group (www.seaoatsgroup.com) is an investment group focused on real estate, especially early-cycle coastal resort development, and private equity. The company plans to launch Skipperling, located on the Boliver Peninsula, in 2009. The company is also planning a third project, on South Padre Island, to launch in 2010.

Located near Port Aransas (“the fishing capital of Texas”) and a new Arnold Palmer-signature Links golf course, Cinnamon Shore (www.cinnamonshore.com) features 1,200 feet of beachfront on Mustang Island, Texas, a Gulf Coast barrier island located 30 minutes from Corpus Christi. When complete, the community will comprise approximately 250 homes and condominiums, a town center with shops, restaurants, hotel and office space; numerous parks and recreational amenities; and a traditional grid of pedestrian-friendly streets that interconnect the entire community.

Jeff Lamkin, CEO of Sea Oats Group, Named 2008 Top 25 Entrepreneur by Catalyst Magazine