Tag Archives: South Padre Island

Island Vibe Suits SPI’s Only Dentist

Brooke and Aaron Unterbrink relocated their family to South Padre Island where Aaron has a dental practice.

Dr. Aaron Unterbrink got through 2020 and 2021 when, as a dentist, he tended to one emergency after another. Unterbrink had five dental offices at the time in Hidalgo County. His main office was in McAllen with another one in Alton and another in Donna. The frantic pace of those years and the constant medical emergencies he dealt with took a toll. It convinced Unterbrink there had to be a…

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SPI Restaurant ‘Off Beaten Path’ Thriving

The hula chicken sandwich with a grilled slice of pineapple reflects the years Lobo Del Mar's owners spent in Hawaii.

Ben Little describes his South Padre Island restaurant as being “a bit off the beaten path,” on the bay side a block off Padre Boulevard. Lobo Del Mar Café is on Palm Street at a spot adjacent to where the road ends before getting to the Laguna Madre. A recent visit to the restaurant on a late January weekday morning was busy, even during an off-season winter month when tourist…

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Coffee & Conversation

Coffee & Conversation

Join the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce at Coffee & Conversation on Jan. 11 to hear about the services provided by Make-A-Wish Foundation from President/CEO Rebecca Ramirez Gearhart. Gearhart will also speak on how the public can help or participate when a request for a wish involves the community.

SPI Hopes Spurs Link Builds Brand

Promotional materials were plentiful during an event announcing a marketing partnership between SPI and the Spurs.

Blake Henry had his fingers crossed last summer when the NBA held its annual player draft. Henry, as the chief executive officer of the South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, was seeing the draft more as a marketing professional than a sports fan. In his just over a year on the job, Henry has been active in seeking partnerships to build greater state and national awareness of the Island.…

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South Padre Island Announces Holiday Events

South Padre Island Tree Lighting

Visit South Padre Island is offering a lineup of fun and festive holiday events for the 2023 season. From the annual tree lighting ceremony to festive parades, the destination serves holiday cheer and rolls out the red and green carpet for locals and visitors alike. “We’re decking the palms this holiday season and creating the ultimate Winter Warmerland paradise in South Texas,” said Blake Henry, Visit South Padre Island executive…

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SpaceX Aims For Launch Amid Reviews

Eighty percent of Starbase’s workforce at Boca Chica Beach are Rio Grande Valley natives. (Courtesy)

SpaceX has completed a months-long process it says shows compliance with federal requirements that would authorize the second launch of the Starship rocket. The nearly 400-foot rocket currently sits on its launch pad on the shores of Boca Chica Beach. The initial Starship launch occurred on April 20. The rocket, which is described as the largest and most powerful ever built, got off the ground in spectacular fashion. Thousands of…

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SpaceX Readies Starship For Second Launch

Starship lifts off on April 20 before disintegrating over the Gulf of Mexico. (Courtesy)

SpaceX‘s Starship rocket is ready for its second launch, awaiting federal approvals, and eager to improve over an April launch that successfully lifted off but disintegrated over the Gulf of Mexico four minutes into flight. Kathryn Lueders, the new executive general manager at Starbase on Boca Chica Beach, gave that assessment on Thursday at an event hosted by the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce at the Holiday Inn Resort.…

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Beach Picnics Give SPI New Experience

Growing up the daughter of a restaurateur taught Nadia Turner the importance of customer service and accommodating a client’s wishes. The family’s 5,000-square-foot Ann’s Restaurant in San Juan was a popular spot for local residents and Winter Texans in celebrating birthday parties and anniversaries. Turner has stayed in the hospitality business and branched out recently into a new realm of services. SPI Luxury Beach Picnics By Nadia is a far…

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