Since the destruction of Hurricane Ike, Galveston has bounced back to provide tourists with a plethora of activities such as The Rainforest Café, Historic Strand, Pleasure Pier and miles of beaches. A less
publicized but wonderful spot is Seawolf Park. 

Seawolf Park is located on the end of Pelican Island which is just North of Galveston. Seawolf Park is home to a WWII submarine and destroyer. As a child, I remember visits to the park and the
thrill of being on board these actual war-faring vessels. 
 
The WWII submarine USS Cavalla is a memorial to the lost submarine USS Seawolf. She was commissioned on Feb. 29, 1944. On June 19, 1944, during her maiden patrol, she sank the 30,000 ton aircraft carrier Shokaku. This carrier was an enemy ship of Pearl Harbor and Battle of Coral Sea. This destruction of Shokaku earned her the Presidential Unit Citation. 

After the war, the Cavalla was decommissioned in 1946. She was brought back to service in 1951 and assigned to the Submarine Squadron 10 to meet the Soviet threat. In 1952, she was converted to the SSK submarine class.

In 1971, the U.S. Navy gave possession of the Cavalla to the Texas Submarine Veterans of WWII and delivered her to Seawolf Park. The Cavalla has been involved in renovation efforts for years. Many volunteers provide the needed resources to bring her back to pristine condition. 

Resting next to the USS Cavalla is the USS Stewart. She is one of only two surviving destroyer escorts in the United States. The USS Stewart has officially been cited in the National Register of Historic Places by the Texas Historic Commission. 

The USS Stewart is the second ship named for Rear Admiral Charles Stewart, commander of the USS Constitution from 1813 to 1815. TheStewart began as a training ship, developing officers before critical missions. She made 30 North Atlantic crossings in 1944 with occasional enemy submarine and aircraft encounters. The Stewart joined the Pacific theater in 1945 to conduct training exercises out of Pearl Harbor. 

The USS Stewart was decommissioned near the end of 1945 and donated to Seawolf Park in 1972. Participants of the Save Our Ship Program have been restoring and maintaining her. The group meets often to work on the ship and share information with her guests. Many U.S. Navy veterans are dedicated to keeping the memory of Stewart alive. 

For a memorable summer excursion, be sure to visit Seawolf Park. A small parking and entry fee will provide all day access to both ships. The experience will instill a well-deserved appreciation of those sailors who served our great country.

Nestled near the corner of San Jacinto College Central in Pasadena, TX, Mama Mia’s Pizza & Pasta provides a popular
hangout for students and locals alike. Mama Mia’s is a wonderful treasure; a cozy space with a friendly environment and home-like atmosphere - serving fresh homemade pizza and pasta.  Mama Mia’s is owned by Alex Medi and his brother Ozzy. I met with Alex to discuss his journey to Mama Mia’s.

His story

Alex was born in Macedonia in 1977 and is proud of his Albanian and Sicilian heritage. He moved to Paterson, NJ at the age of 2. Alex lived in New Jersey for 4 years then moved back to Albania. When he was 9 years old, he moved back to New Jersey. The constant movement made it hard for him to adjust in school; having to learn two languages.
 
In 1999 Alex moved to Abilene, Texas. He owned and operated Joe’s Pizza with his brother Ozzy. After 4 years, they both moved to Arlington, Texas and worked for Nizza Pizza for 3 to 4 years. Alex gained his U.S. citizenship in 2003.  After finally landing in the Houston area, Alex decided to invest in Mama Mia’s, a cozy spot where the towns of Pasadena, Deer Park and La Porte converge.  He has owned and operated Mama Mia’s for the last 5 years; the first 2 years with his Uncle Nick and the last 3 years with his brother Ozzy. Alex’s cousin Ish has been a part of Mama Mia’s since day one. Ish has been an integral part of the restaurant’s success. 
 
Customers love Alex; he’s part of their family.  Alex cares deeply about his customers, the quality of his food and the service he provides. His wife works at the restaurant and he plans to have his children work there when they are old enough. He has two daughters and one son. “Texas is the best place to raise a family”, says Alex. “The people are kind and we have a relaxed atmosphere here - unlike New Jersey where everyone is rushing around and distant. In Jersey, you may never meet your next door neighbor of 20 years. I love my customers and love having this restaurant.”
 
Alex worked hard for what he has today.  He works 12 hours a day and 6 to 7 days a week.  He and his brother Ozzy cook for the restaurant. All physical improvements are handled by the restaurant family - no outside contractors. This strong family work ethic started years ago when Alex’s grandfather came to America and started their family restaurant tradition. "It all started with my grandfather in 1952”, says Alex. “This provided an opportunity for me and my family to succeed.”

The food

Mama Mia’s offers a full menu of pizza and pasta. Everything is homemade! I decided to try the ‘Pasta Trio’ and a slice a New York Style pepperoni pizza. The ‘Pasta Trio' includes Lasagna, Chicken Parmigiana and Fettuccine Alfredo. I started with bread and olive oil. The bread was soft with a light garlic seasoning. Next was the pizza. I was impressed with the moist, rich cheese, zesty sauce and firm crust. I can honestly say it was one of the best slices of pizza I have ever had. The ‘Pasta Trio’ blew me away. The
Fettuccine Alfredo was creamy with wide tender pasta that melted in my mouth. The Chicken Parmigiana had a nice portion of tender breaded chicken, layered with rich tomato sauce and melted cheese. The Lasagna (my favorite) was memorable with its tender pasta, ricotta cheese, rich tomatoes and unbelievable meat sauce! 
 
A treasure

I was pleased with my visit to Mama Mia’s and my discussion with Alex Medi. The excellent food is only part of Mama Mia’s allure. The cozy, hole-in-the-wall feel gave me a sense of belonging. The restaurant was clean and the staff was pleasant. Ish treated me like family and showed friendly professionalism. The desire and dedication of its owner speaks volumes. Alex represents the American Dream at its best; hard work, sacrifice,
tradition and loyalty.    

Mama Mia’s is a true Houston hidden treasure.
 
Mama Mia’s Pizza and Pasta
8200 Spencer Hwy, La Porte, TX
77571
281-479-4477