Clubbing, naturalists and D.J. Hot Sauce

 

Mom ready to hit the club

We’d just caught a vintage movie at the McFaddin-Ward House visitors center when my mom asks if she can take us to the Logon Café. What? It was about 9 p.m., on a Thursday. It was nearly our bed time. She wanted to go out to hear live music?

I knew she wanted to hear Sons of Santos, featuring Soberon brothers Luis and Nick, who we saw grow up at St. Jude Catholic Church in Beaumont. So we all want out and had a beer, and loved the singing and music, which included cello music. We also loved the mixed crowd, because grandmas and parents were also out to admire. These guys are really, really good.

Master Naturalist

Leila Melancon calls herself a Nature Girl.

“My grandfather raised me on the sea wall,” she said.

She learned to love crabbing and fishing from her grandfather, who lived behind the conch shell wall at Eddingston Court. I met her on the marsh and it’s no wonder her group was attracted to the dragonfly that landed on some tall grass. It’s a unifying symbol of the Sabine-Neches Master Naturalists.

“You’ve never heard of it, right?” she asked about her group.

I smiled big and shook my head. She’d caught me.

“Everybody’s heard of a Master Gardener,” she said.

Her fun-loving group is a division of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Parks & Wildlife. Meloncon, who said she was thrilled that I could easily spell and pronounce her Cajun last name, claimed she was just about the most unscientific one in the bunch. She noted a science teacher, retired engineer and environmental lawyer were involved, but others are folks who just love the outdoors. They are fun and funny, too. Some of them were quick to jokingly point out that “naturalist” does not mean “nudist.”

If you want to get in touch with these NATURALISTS, call (409) 882-7010. Another posted criteria: Someone who's NOT afraid of digging in the dirt and slogging through the mud while giving back to the community.

DJ Hot Sauce

When I heard DJ Hot Sauce would be at the Mexican Heritage Society Fiesta, I thought I want to go hear Hot Sauce. As I’m writing this, I don’t even know if that is a man or woman, but I think a spicy moniker like that would make Hot Sauce turn in a stellar performance, so I’m in.

Robert Moreno Jr. is vice president of the Fiesta, set for Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center, and he said the Mexican community really wanted Grupo Flash back. They got it, and for an extra hour of party time.

Sponsors include Motiva, Southeast Texas Arts Council, All State Insurance and BBVA Compass Bank. Day admission is $8 adults and $5 for senior citizens and children aged 11-17. Younger children will be admitted at no charge with a parent or guardian. Tickets will be $20 for everyone after 6:30 p.m. The schedule is:

·         9 a.m. – Doors open

·         10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. – Opening ceremonies, presentation of flags, opening speaker and guests

·         10:20 a.m.  – Children’s costume contest

·         11 a.m. – DJ Hot Sauce, master of ceremonies and music throughout

·         11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Tiny, Little Miss, Junior and Miss Mexican Heritage pageants

·         2-3:30 p.m. – Mariachi Real Mexicanisimo

·         3:30-6 p.m. – Mexican Heritage Society Folkloric Dancers, with Nancy Chavez

·         6:30-7:30 p.m. – Queens Courts Promenade

·         7:30-8:30 p.m. – Cazadores, de San Luis

·         9 p.m.-1 a.m. – Grupo Flash, De Nueva Rosita, Coahuila