Happy Thanksgiving Tampa!

Nice to be home for the holiday this year, although I do miss seeing my brothers and niece and nephews. Thanksgiving Eve(last night), got a call to see the Lightning hockey game against the NY Rangers at the Forum downtown. I ran in the shower, and caught the 7pm bus 3 houses down from my house(Yes... the Hartline City Bus). For $1.50 I get a comfortable, clean ride, that took less than 30 minutes(about 5 miles), and I did not need to find parking downtown, and I did not have to fork over $20.00 for parking, and I was able to have a few beers at the game and not worry about driving home....the game was Great, excellent seats in the 104 section, went into SO(shootout), which I have never seen before...unfortunately the Rangers came out good in the SO, and won the game.
It was then we all went back towards my house to celebrate an annual tradition at the Green Iguana Westshore, the Huuuuuuge Thanksgiving Eve Party...with people home for the Holiday, it was a packed house, and we ran into several people that you don't get to see but on holidays and some special occasions...Great Band as usual...Good Times!

Turkey Day was with the Aunt and Uncle in Brandon, on the way home stopped by Club Chelsea to see some good friends, and called it an early night.

Hyde Park Village Music Series

Me and a good friend went up to Hyde Park Village Wednesday evening for their monthly Music Series. Its a great gathering of people from the local area, and the beer sales are always for a good cause. Easy parking in the neighborhood behind the Village, we walked into the event, maybe a few hundred people, and a live band entertaining the folks. My friend did not drink beer, so we had to go to several places to find her a non-beer beverage. Timpano's was selling mixed cocktails, but only allowed to drink inside the restaurant and also they would only allow you inside the restaurant if you had ID(she is 36, but left her ID behind)..so we wondered over to Wine Exchange, a livelier crowd here, and a very friendly bartender allowed us to purchase her a wine, and gave us a to go cup so we could attend the festival....lots of good people watching, we both ran into many people we don't see often, so it was great catching up with people's lives on a monthly basis in an event like this.

After the event, we headed closer to my home for some eats, and ended up where else, but the Green Iguana Westshore. Bar Manager John was just married last month, and heading out to Seattle in the morning with his new wife for a nice long weekend getaway..we stayed a while to help him celebrate(we did the celebrating while he worked)...again, the burger I had(Portabella Cheese burger), was awesome, juicy, meaty, and love the crinkle cut fries...she ahd them prepare a grilled chicken breast and mixed veges...cooked and seasoned perfectly.....and of course there was live music and the crowd for entertainment purposes.

Heading out to see some buddies in Kansas City Friday for a long Labor Day Weekend, be back in Tampa Wednesday!!

..

Colorado Visitors in Tampa!

My brother flew in on Wednesday night, no better way to welcome him than an evening at the Green Iguana Westshore in the neighborhood, live music, dollar anything to drink, good times! The next afternoon, the rest of the family came over and we walked over the the Iguana for lunch, again a great hit, eating outdoors on the Tiki Deck, very juicy burgers, large fresh grouper sandwich and an amazing Caribbean salad with shrimp. The crowd was a bit different than last evening(biz people on lunch, and locals). After work we all went down the street with the little one to Picnic Island, where we tossed the disc for a while, and played on one of the two larger playground areas with the toddler, both with great views of Tampa Bay. The evening brought more family members over to my house, and we decided on one of the largest take out orders i've ever called in to Peking Chinese Take Out on Manhattan Ave and El Prado. Even with the HUGE order, everything was cooked perfectly, my uncle swears it to be the best take out in the area, I have to agree.

Friday, went with some friends and my bro and sis in law to 717 South for dinner, sitting outside along Howard Avenue. Food as been consistently good here, the Asian Pot Roast, Grouper Special, Chicken Firenze and Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad. We tried the Spinach Egg Drop Soup which everyone exclaimed was the best tasting soup. All dinner were served with 717 House or Ceasr salads, a large portion, and also fresh bread with an Italian Sauce and cheese for dipping. After dinner we walked up Howard Ave which was getting busy by 10pm, to Mangroves. the DJ was not set up yet, but there was great lounge type music playing downstairs in the bar area and outside deck...we then ventured off to Hyde Park Cafe for dancing..I decided to give the place another shot after my bad experience last year, and if you make reservations ahead of time, you wait on no lines, and no cover charge. A great looking crowd, and of course DJ Tony Feline spinning some great tunes. By around 100am, the place was packed, and it was time to leave, but we wound up stopping at the Dubliner for one, where there was a great live band outside on the deck. With taxi's waiting outside along Howard Avenue, we got a ride back home, where one of us crashed in the house, and us others...went to Green Iguana of course till closing. On the walk back home, m,y brother waved his arm out at a taxi, and instead of a block ride home, we went to Waffle House down the street for a late night snack....it was a Great Long Friday night!

Saturday, we woke with lots of plans on our minds(Riverwalk Platt Street Bridge Opening, Gulfport Springfest, GreenThumb Festival, Pondscapes Pond Tour, the Beach)....being a bit tired, some of us went on the Pond Tour to a few homes in South Tampa, great to view how people landscape their backyards, in some of the nicest neighborhoods in South Tampa. By noon, we all took off for Anna Marie Island, about 45 min drive from Tampa. This beautiful island and small village town is just east of Bradenton. The waters were crystal clear, sand a very fine powdery white, and we were in a very secluded area with not many people around. Made for a great relaxing beach day...rafts in the Gulf, paddle ball and frisbee on the beach, tunes playing on the radio, sandwich's in the cooler.

Sunday was another relaxing day heading over to Pinellas County and the GreenThumb Festival, one of the largest plant and garden festivals in the Tampa area, some friends of mine had a booth, showcasing many of the Exotic and Tropical plants and services they offer from Exotica, Inc. tropical nursery on 22nd Ave South in St. Pete.

Work brings me to Orlando this week, and then it's off to the Florida Keys for a nice long weekend.

South Westshore Blvd Hop and Chassahowitzka WIldlife Refuge

I enjoy my little neighborhood in South Tampa, Bayside West, it's no Hyde Park, but South Westshore Blvd from just north of El Prado Blvd to just south of Euclid Ave has a number of great amenities, all within walking distance to the house.
Friday we walked up to CDB's Southside from my house for some dinner al fresco on the upper outdoor deck. I was never a big fan of their sweet and thick tomato sauce, but they do make a great Greek Salad, the small is big enough for 3-4 people, and it's nice to sit outside and enjoy the spring weather while having a few Friday afternoon cocktails with friends. We also tried the Southside Sampler, combination of Fried Cheese, overly stuffed Mushrooms, Baked Clams Casino and Fried Ravioli...a very good combo of tasty apps. The Hard Hat Grinder was just ok, not enough meat on the Sandwich that has Provolone Cheese, Salami, Pepperoni, Capicola Ham and Roast Beef(which was overcooked and a bit chewy).
After enjoying a few hours here, we walked a block down to the The Wooden Door, a new Irish Bar and Grill that just opened this weekend. Again it's nice to be able to sit outside, they have a large patio in the front, there was a decent crowd all ready taking advantage of the great evening weather. Inside they had a nice new Wooden Bar, with about a dozen bar stools, and a few tables scattered about on one half, and dart boards and a video game and juke box on the other half. The kitchen was only serving wings and onion rings, I believe the Grand Opening with the Full Menu is around April 1st. They did a nice job renovating the space, my only question was why the ceramic tile floors, it would have been alot more comfortable with wood floors. We shot a few games of darts, and were ready to head to the next venue...the Green Iguana Westshore.

We walked about 2 more blocks, where the original Green Iguana was celebrating their 20th Anniversary...and I can't believe I have been coming to this place for 20 years! And what a difference 20 years makes, from what was once a dive, hole in the wall, drinking establishment with bands every night in a very tightly spaced, dimly lit bar, is now a spacious, Bar and Restaurant, with an added Tiki Deck outside, expanded game room in the back with pool table and darts, and all upgraded amenities...it's nice they have really upgraded this place, but sometimes you just miss that original feel the place used to have, where the bartenders were the same(I miss Chrissie and Linda)..and knew exactly what you wanted right when you walked in the door. But my fav bartender/manager, John, is still there after joining a few years ago, it just seems the wait staff and bartenders come and go very often....Anyways, the food has been upgraded they now have a full brand new kitchen and full menu, the place was hopping this evening with, as usual, alot of interesting people....again, I can never go to this place without ever meeting and talking with strangers...it just has that laid back friendly atmosphere...and having live music every night makes for even more great entertainment.

Saturday, it was up and early with the Kayak, and out to Citrus County with some friends to explore the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. About an hours drive north of Tampa, it was a great kayaking experience on the river, we ran into a very playful dolphin who almost ran into use a few times, the waters were crystal clear. We also kayaked up to the Springs, where the crystal clear waters come up from underground. Some of us even went into the springs(always a cool 72 degrees year round), and you were able to dive through the limestone caverns which are all throughout the underground. We ran into some very old homes along the river banks, I kept hearing the music from the movie 'Deliverance' playing in my head as we all strolled down the very quiet area, with no one else around, it's definitely a different part of Florida in these parts.
We were starving after about 5 hours in the Refuge, and heading out we stopped at Brooksville area and had a great meal at Besta One Italian Restaurant - the Calzones were HUGE!

It's EASTER so i'll be taking the kids to Madre's for our annual Easter Feast today.

Work takes me to New Jersey this week.

Green Iguana Lunch; Shane's Rib Shack Dinner

One thing nice about working from home is being able to take a leisurely lunch in the neighborhood when time permits. Me and a buddy walked over to the Green Iguana Westshore, the first and original Green Iguana(there are now 5 throughout Tampa Bay area), for some lunch. I visit this place often, live music 7 nights, great food and drinks, interesting people, and best of all only a block from my house.
What a difference 20 years makes, from what was once a dive, laid back , tiny hole int he wall bar, with all the remodeling complete over the past few years, it is now a very lively, open entertainment and dining space. Huge outdoor Tiki area, the pool and darts area in the back is twice as big, bathrooms have been remodeled and larger, and the kitchen in the back is brand new and twice the size. The menu has been revamped, and now offers great dinner options.
For lunch we sat outside to enjoy the great weather, there are many business people here for lunch as well. The Baja Burger and Fish Tacos were on order for us. The burger was cooked perfectly medium and about a 1/2 pound of juicy flavorful beef, topped with cooked onion, avacado, and Caribbean spices, on a very soft fresh baked bun, and came with very fresh and hot crinkle cut fries. The two fish tacos was fried grouper rolled in fresh tortillas with a salsa and lettuce/tomato/onion, and served with fresh Mexican chips and salsa. Service was fast and friendly, the cook delivered the meals. A great experience, and with the new menu, I may be doing lunch and/or dinner here weekly....
After checking out the new Will Ferrel movie, Semi-Pro, later this evening, we all went over to Shane's Rib Shack, which recently opened in South Tampa on Neptune Street. It reminded me alot of the places you order at the counter, take a number, and then they deliver to your table(called Fast Casual Restaurants). Very fresh and large portions of Shredded BBQ pork, with sides that included Fried Okra, very lightly breaded and fried chunks of okra, collard greens which lacked some flavor but were good, and macaroni and cheese which was pretty standard. A good place for good BBQ.

Tampa's Harbour Island - Eats and Cocktails!

After travelling around Florida this week for work(Melbourne and Orlando), it was finally back to Tampa, and Kris, Kelly and I went over to Harbour Island downtown Tampa for some dinner and a few drinks. We stopped by Thats Amore for some martini's out on the waterfront patio overlooking downtown. Beautiful area, the restaurant reminded me of an Italian Family reunion when walking in, all Italian decor, long tables, there was a Frank Sinatra like guy playing the piano and singing, very entertaining. We had reservations at Cafe DuFrain just next door, also along the waterfront with great views of downtown. Promptly seated inside, they had a small but great wine list that changes weekly. We started with some Edemame, Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella w/Basil, and Cesar Salads, all prepared perfectly and fresh. Entrees were the Ahi Tuna - perfectly rare and seared, a Bouillabaisse with Lobster, Shrimp, Scallops- very flavorful with tomatoes and a very light sauce, and the Argentinian Skirt Steak, with a garlic/pesto light sauce, the steak was so tender and came with Yuca Fries, thick and crisp...an amazing dinner, service was top notch,,this place is now on my list of favorites in the downtown area.
Afterwards it was back home and a walk over the Green Iguana Westshore where I ran into some people I havent seen in about 15 years from college - seems you are always running into someone at the Green Iguana Westshore, never a dull time with live musci every night, and John tending to the bar and managing the shop.

Tampa Steak and a Christmas Stroll: Malio's Prime/Plant Museum Christmas Stroll

Took madre out for her birthday with the Aunt and Uncle Saturday evening to Malio's Prime restaurant located in downtown Tampa's "beer can building" or 400 North Tower. We wanted an early eat to be able to walk over to the Plant Museum and check out the annual Christmas Stroll. Reservations were set for 5pm, parked with ease under the remnants of Kiley Park, just off Ashley Drive downtown, they also have valet. There were only a few occupied tables at this time, they sat us in a HUGE oval booth, perfect for the four of us(very large booths and tables throughout the restaurant, intimate tables for two along the upper tier with window views of the Hillsborough River and University of Tampa minarets..reminded me of a NYC type of place, where the famous and infamous would dine....there is also a large outdoor patio with excellent views of the river, and large bar area). Larry came promptly and greeted us, told us about the place, specials for the day and recommended some wines. Very professional. We started with madre and I splitting the Chop Salad..delicious flavor and presentation, came in a cylinder form, chopped veges with salami and cheese, but not enough for two. Aunt and Uncle split the Beefsteak Tomato and Onion salad, tangy dressing, a whole huge tomato sliced thick, on a bed of field greens, plenty to split. The orders came out very timely, enough time to chat, and savor the salads, and very fresh, steaming hot bread brought to each table. Finally to the steaks, which this place is to be known for...the 20 oz bone in NY Strip covered in Blue cheese was my choice, perfectly cooked, juicy and full of flavor. Uncle chowed down on one of the BEST 16 oz Ribeyes...like eating steak flavored butter..amazing, he exclaimed he found a new steak place(Ruth Chris' was his favorite)..Aunt and Madre both got the 8ox filet, perfectly cooked as well. Sides are all a la carte, huge portion of fresh Asparagus with Hollndaise sauce on the side, Large tower of Onion Rings, lightly battered, crispy and thin, great flavor, a collosal baked potato, and the Macaroni and Cheese, which came in a bowl and plenty for four people. Mr. Ivarone, one of the owners, came by to chat with us, Malio's is just one of a few great places owned by his family. The GM also came by to chat with us as well. Mr. Ivarone insisted that desert be on the house, we split the chocolate decadence, ooozing with chocolate of all kinds. We ate everything, as it was too tasty to leave ANYTHING behind or take home with us. With cocktails, salads, meals and coffee's it came to about $60 per person...not bad considering the professionalism, service, ambiance, and most of all the FOOD! Next time i'm going to grab a table outside if the weather cooperates.

We walked over to the University of Tampa's Plant Museum after dinner, a nice stroll across the Hillsborough River, beautiful views the minarets were all lit up, and the skyscrapers from downtown lit up nicely in the river. They were having their 26th annual Victorian Christmas Stroll, the museum and all the rooms are decorated for the holidays, with vintage holiday decorations(funny seeing things that I remembered as a kid growing up at home in NY), there were Christmas carolers, they gave out free cookies and hot apple cider. It was my first time in the museum, if you ever wanted to see stuff about the history of the area, this is yet another great place. Tampa really has a very rich and unique history for a Florida city, many are not aware of, dating back to the mid 1800's. Lots of old pictures, maps, videos detailing the culture and history, and some insteresting rooms featuring items from that era. One area that moved me was reading the actual letters from soldiers stationed at the Tampa during the Spanish American War, and artifacts on how Tampa was once one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country for the very wealthy in the winters. A MUST if you want to know more about the history and culture of this area.

After leaving the family, I had some friends over the house, we hung out on the patio for a bit, the weather was perfect, and then we walked over to the Green Iguana Westshore for some live music and socializing on the outdoor tiki deck.

VICTORIOUS USF BULLS; Hyde Park Art Fest, and Lunch in Hyde Park

What a night, What a game! The euphoric feeling was everywhere in Tampa last night. Being an Alumni, and going to most games since day one, this is what we look forward to, these victorious happenings..coach Jim Leavitt is amazing, the City of Tampa is so proud, and there are lots of new Bulls fans all over the Bay area! Makes me want to go back to USF just for the student rush that's happening on campus.
After the game, we headed over to the Green Iguana Westshore, by 1am, the place was packed, Bulls fans everywhere, and those that were new to the Bulls rage congratulating everyone. It's amazing what a football game can do to people, uplifting spirits, strangers hugging strangers, high fives all around.

Today we got out to the Annual Hyde Park Art Festival, it was a nice crowd, and good breeze on this late September warm day. It was nice to walk around, see some interesting and creative pieces of art, amongst the interesting people. We then walked around Hyde Park area, looking at the historic homes, one of my favorite neighborhoods. With stomachs grumbling after a few hours at the Art Fest, we headed to Howard Ave for lunch, Strings and Rings was only serving a Breakfast Brunch all day, so we went to Evo's for some healthy eats. All their food is fresh, and healthy, very low in fat, no grease of fryers. The Buffalo Chicken Wrap and Thai Chicken Wrap were very filling and flavorful, they have different types of fresh brewed iced teas, and a variety of ketchup flavors for the "AirFries" which are cooked with very hot air, rather than fried...yummy! On the way home we stopped by Pondscapes on the corner of Manhattan Ave and Wallcraft Ave, around the corner from my house, to view the variety of Ponds and Fountains they have on display, actually kicked back for a while in the back area by one of the ponds, very relaxing. They have alot of backyard and outdoor items you normally dont see around.

Tampa Dinner, St. Pete Live Music

Took Lisa out for her Birthday last night, we decided on a favorite in Hyde Park, Bella's for Italian. Arrived at around 7pm, complimentary valet parking. The bar area was packed, we were seated immediately, and of course given the complimentary Bruschetta as always for a start. We shared the 1/2 chop salad, chopped crisp greens, small pasta, diced chicken in a delicious Italian dressing. The Meza Luna pasta, stuffed with Asparagus, Prosciutto and cheese that I ordered was delicious, although I saked for a Vodka Sauce instead of the plain tomato cream sauce, and they tacked on $5(my Laughing Cat fav in Ybor always lets you vary the menu to your liking without an charge), but it was delicious. Lisa enjoyed her Chicken Marsala, two breasts of chicken, lots of mushrooms, and a side of Broccoli.
We wanted to hear some live music, and Lisa has been raving about Matt Winter, he was playing at Dan Marino's Martini Bar at Bay Walk in downtown St. Petersburg. It was a quick 25 min ride to Bay Walk, a great crowd was hanging out in the Martini Bar, with the Matt Winter band playing above the bar. Plays alot of covers(Dave Matthews, Oasis, Sublime), also has many great originals..I now have another local band to follow that were very entertaining, Lisa got to chat with Matt afterwards for a bit, and we had lots of laughs with the drummers wife who was hanging out with us at the bar.
They only played until 10pm, so we headed back to Tampa, and hit up our local favorite, Green Iguana Westshore, walking distance to my house. The very friendly John and Theresa were manning the bar outside in the Tiki area, there was a lively crowd, and of course a great entertaining band inside. We kicked back and enjoyed the people watching, and chatted with several people(it seems you can never go to the Green Iguana without ending up talking to someone for the first time).
We got a call from some friends to meet up at City Side for a late cocktail, so we cabbed it there, and spent the last few hours of the night socializing with the ever so Happy alternative crowd at City Side...I really like the VJ there, he plays some great tunes.

A Tampa Labor Day Weekend!

While many of my friends went out of town this long weekend, I decided to make the most of Tampa this weekend. From a limo ride to Columbia Restaurant, Breakfast at Mama's Kitchen, to Off-Road Biking in Flatwoods, to a Beach Party in Ybor, it was a great long weekend.

Saturday night, my friend Chrissie was coming into town to visit her sister and their friends as the ladies were all turning 40 this year. They got a Limo for the evening fun, and invited me to go along. We were picked up and headed to Ybor City, and the Columbia Restaurant, a Tampa icon, it is the oldest Spanish restaurant in Florida, since 1905. Lots of history and many famous have passed through this very ornate and architecturally grand structure on 7th Ave in Ybor. Our reservation for dinner included the Flamenco show. It has been a few years since I had enjoyed dinner here, and it seems it has gotten a bit pricey over those years, with most dinners ranging from 17 to 30 dollars, not including a salad. The portions are very generous, we shared plates ranging from the perfectly marinated roast pork with plantains, Canneloni stuffed with lobster, crab and shrimp, many Tapas plates, Calamari, and of course the famous 1905 salad. The food was very good, and service professional. The show was very entertaining, old time Spanish Flamenco dancers during dinner. One thing I thought about was how unique Ybor City is, and the history this National Landmark has, that Tampa needs to look at bringing in more entertainment type venues in this area to show off the culture and rich immigrant history that is so unusual around most parts of Florida, and special to Tampa.
The ladies then wanted some lounge type atmosphere, and there is nothing much to offer in Ybor, unfortunately, for the well dressed, almost 40 year old women, so it was off to Hyde Park, and Mangrove's on Howard Ave. A DJ was set up in the upstairs, and we found a quiet spot downstairs near the bar where they had separate booths. After a cocktail there, it was off to a more lively, laid back place, the Dubliner. A live band was crankin great 90's tunes to a hip crowd, very casual with the outdoor and indoor area for relaxing and socializing. Only problem here was it is strictly beer and wine, some of them wanted to continue drinking liquor drinks. Getting close to 1am, our last stop was Green Iguana Westshore. they have expanded this place a bit inside, there was a very lively crowd, and great bar staff. The band was very entertaining, and having an opportunity to relax outside under the Tiki bar, and inside watching the band was a great choice, the ladies thought this was the best place we went all night. You can't go too wrong with a local favorite like Green Iguana, especially the original one on Westshore Blvd.

Sunday, thinking about some breakfast we made a run for Mama's Kitchen on South Dale Mabry near MacDill AFB. I had seen this place, but never been and wanted to try it out, since I try to find some great diner type places in the area. And Mama's Kitchen lived up to what I love about the small type diners. Breakfast served all day, and the typical diner type items on the menu, I onloy wish they were open 24 hours. The Biscuits and Gravy came out on a large plate with two fresh buttermilk biscuits with I'd say enough thick Sausage gravy for at least 4 people. The omelets were light and stuffed with toppings of choice. Fast, friendly and good. I found another diner type in the South Tampa area and I will be goign back.
After a hearty breakfast, we got the bikes on the back of my truck and headed for the Flatwoods/Wilderness Park to do some Off-Road biking. Ive wrote about these areas before, we parked at the Trout Creek Park area where the most trails are located. Some of the trails were closed due to the heavy rains we had been having, but it is so quiet, and serene biking through all the various types of topography found in Florida(wetlands, srubs, pine barrens, palmettos, sand, etc.). Various wildlife we saw today was some snakes, turtles, and the tracks made from the wild boar.
A quick nap, and it was out to Ybor City again, the go to Chruchills Nightclub on 7th Ave for a special Labor Day Beach Party. Prior to starting the night, we stopped at Samurai Blue for some Sushi. The place was very busy, as was Ybor City in general for this holiday Sunday evening. A couple of seats at the sushi bar were open. The rolls were not as I had expected from the numerous times I had been there before. The prices here seemed to have gone up as well, and for Sushi, I wasn't pleased with the texture and flavor, the ambiance though is first rate, but it left me disappointed food wise. Churchill's is a 3 Level club, the 2nd floor is more loungy with the outdoor balcony overlooking 7th Ave, and with the 3rd level being a rooftop over looking all of Tampa and Ybor and the open sky. There were lots of people that showed up late in the evening, the music was very clubby. All in all it was a fun Sunday night.

We wrapped up the weekend going to see the new Jason Statham/Jet Li movie "War" at Muvico's Centro Ybor Theaters(wow, I was in Ybor much of the weekend)..the movie was just ok, I was expecting bigger and better fight scenes with more martial arts. After the movie, we went for a quick bite in Ybor, only to find out on this Labor Day, that almost all the restaurants were closed---Mema's Tacos, Carmines, Gaspar's, Elmer's, Silver Ring Cafe, all CLOSED! Not good, as I saw MANY tourists, and locals alike wandering around Ybor, with most stores and shoppes closed on this Labor Day. I found that to be pretty disappointing that the district would decide not to make open for business when most people want to get out and explore on their day off. We did go to Hawk's Sports Cafe on Bay to Bay Blvd in South Tampa, a great sports bar, very neighborhood friendly type place, great wings, burgers and sandwiches.

This busy short work week brings me to Virginia Beach, haven't been there since I was a kid.

A Tampa Dog Beach, A Tampa Diner, A Tampa Neighborhood, and A Tampa Evening

Took the kids to their fav beach, Picnic Island Dog Beach/Park. This excellent Tampa Park and Beach is just down Westshore Blvd at the very end, almost a hidden Tampa treasure. In the mornings there are very few people and their dogs on the dog beach section, which is very long and wide. The park also has a large hill with wide open spaces for them to run around, and great views of the Bay, and downtown St. Pete. It's nice to have this within a few miles of home.
Afterwards John and I headed to Three Coins Diner on Nebraska Ave in Seminole Heights. I have heard about this place, and wanted to check it out, I miss the real diners of the northeast, and there are very few in this area. It's a small place, maybe a dozen or so booths, and a counter with a few stools. But a diner it is, and the menu shows the variety of choices that are often scene at diners. I like the 24 hour breakfasts, and the Triple Decker Club Sandwich's that come with Onion Rings and Steak Fries on the menu. I decided to go for the Feta and Spinach Omelet. It was rather large portion, stuffed with alot of Feta and Spinach, and with fresh home fries and buttered toast. Not the best of breakfasts, they cook the eggs on too hot of a skillet which causes it to brown slightly, but this greasy spoon diner find is good and worth the trip. The service is top notch, the atmosphere and diversity of people is even better, (over heard conversations ins Spanish, and a few patrons with many piercings and tattoos) an interesting part of Tampa.
I have been wanting to discover more of Tampa's neighborhoods, and we drove around Riverside Heights after brunch. A very nice small neighborhood a few miles north of downtown Tampa bordered by the Hillsborough River on the west, N Boulevard on the east, Columbus Ave and MLK Blvd. A variety of homes, large and small, brick lined streets, large mature oaks.
Saturday evening we met up with a bunch of friends to celebrate a birthday at Channelside. First stop was Splitsville, there was 10 of us all together, we ordered mostly sliders(small cheeseburgers), salads, sushi and chicken fingers. The food was very good, although sushi is not their specialty, but then again this is an upscale bowling alley. The place was very busy, there was a 2 hour wait to get a bowling lane, and most of the patrons were all young professionals. Tunes from the 80's/90's kept the crowds heads bopping, we opted to play pool for a while instead of bowl. Outside in the Channelside courtyard there was a band set up on stage. We then headed to McGraw's, which was just starting to get busy. They were having line dancing lessons early on, but later, there was a mixture of dance and country tunes. We played darts, and boxing, while doing some people watching. It's a Big space inside, the ceiling fan is something to see at this place, must be the biggest one ove ever seen, got to see it to believe it. We then ventured from Channelside up the street about a mile to Ybor City, and Lounge 7-14. The last stop of the evening before going home was Green Iguana Westshore, walking distance to home. A round of pool, and listing to a great band topped off the night. They have been doing some major renovations at this green Iguana, a larger space inside, and the pool room area is also getting a make-over and bigger. Im going to miss the small, dive place this used to be, lots of memories in the 17 years i have been going here.

Treasure Island beaches and an Ybor City weekend!

Friday I did what is now becoming a bit of a routine, but a good routine, seeing my friend Rob from the band Buffalo Strange play solo at The Hut on John's Pass, Madeira Beach. This time I ordered the Black n Blue burger, and the burger just seemed to be a bit tough. My friend Debi advised me last time that her burger was also a bit tough. The mellow tunes kept us happy, it was very warm, we haven't had the typical afternoon thunderstorms in about a week to cool things off during the day, but there were plenty of fans blowing in this LARGE tiki hut on the water. After taking Debi home, John and I wanted Ice Cream, and found the Dairy Inn, located on MLK Blvd(9th Street) near 11th Avenue in St. Pete. Kind of like Dairy Joy in South Tampa, a walk up window with soft serve ice cream cones and sundaes, with a few covered tables. There is a video game room in the back with a few 'old school' video games. Lisa and Brian gave us a shout to join them at their Beach Condo they had for the weekend on Treasure Island, so we ventured back out there. It was nice overlooking the WIDE white, sandy beaches of Treasure Island in the evening from the condo. For a late night snack, we venured out to Monster Slice Pizza on St. Pete Beach, for some very good, very thin and crispy pizza. They were loaded with toppings, and plenty of cheese.

Saturday, John and I ventured back to Treasure Island, and brought our bikes. We saw a bike/walking path behind the condo along the beach, and wanted to bike it today. To our surprise it only went about 6 blocks to the north of the condo, and about 10 blocks to the south. I would have thought it to be much longer, and span the entire Treasure Island beach behind all the hotels, motels and condo areas. What was nice was you can bike or walk to a few good places for a cool drink and maybe catch a band or guitarist(runs behind Bilmar Resort, Thunderbird Resort, and many mom and pop type motels as well as two Public Beach areas for Treasure Island with restrooms and snacks). For lunch by the pool at the condo, we headed to ABC liquor for refreshments and The Floridian for Cubans. I have heard about The Floridian(located on the causeway heading to Treasure Island), and how famous their Cuban Sandwiches are, and no doubt, some of the best. Piled high ham, roast pork, swiss cheese, mustard and pickle slices.
Saturday night, we cleaned up and headed to Ybor City for dinner. Italian was on my mind, and there is no better than The Laughing Cat on the corner of 8th Ave and 15th Street. The dark skies, and rain kept most of the crowds away this evening in Ybor, so we were able to be seated promptly. The menu is huge, as is the portions. It is best to split most of the items, they are that big. I had the Salmon with Mussels, very Large portion of Salmon, with about 8 HUGE mussles in their shell around the Salmon in a light tomato/garlic, white wine sauce. The others had Chicken Fettuccine with huge chucks of chicken, and Farfalle diMare, loaded with Seafood and Boe Tie pasta in a Vodka Sauce. Everything is FRESH, and can be made to order. For fun we then ventured out to the area of Ybor what is quickly becoming known 'gaYbor' district(bordered by 9th ave and 6th Ave and 12th street to 16th Street). Lounge 7-14, G. Bar, Flirt, MC Film Festival, and soon the new location of Wranglers are all in this area. I dont venture to these type places much, but Lounge 7-14 was actually very cool, we played darts, and there was some great rock and commercial tunes/videos playing. G.Bar was just opening when we went so there was no cover, and you can play pool there for free, so we did just that until the crowds started filling up(around 11:30). We then headed to Wranglers, only to find out they are closed until there new location opens up soon. A quick drink in Green Iguana, which used to be my favorite hang out in Ybor, was barely holding a crowd, and the people there this evening seemed a little sleazy(two very heavy set women, with barely any clothes on, pole dancing in front of the band and making out together). Its difficult to listen to a live band, when there is dance/hip-hop blaring from the room next door, they should place a thick curtain between the two rooms. We went back to Lounge 7-14, which had become filled, and very smokey(seems they need a filter to get rid of the smoke that quickly fills up this lounge when more than a few people are puffing on some smokes).
All in all, and nice weekend to get out to Tampa's beaches, and explore the Tampa's historic district.

South Tampa evenin' - CDB's Southside and Stuff!

Another great work week come to an end...last night we decided to check out the new CDB Southside on Westshore Blvd in South Tampa. What a GREAT place. With all the cars outside, and limited parking, you would think it was packed, but they had the upstairs and downstairs open, and outdoor balcony overlooking Westshore Blvd open. They did a great job with the two bars, and very classy, but casual atmosphere. Eating outside was on tap for us, so at 7pm, we were able to be seated promptly on the 2nd floor balcony, they even set a fan up on the floor next to our table, as the breezes were limited this evening. Very friendly service, prompt and always checked up on us, but not intruding, and best of all, great tasting food. the menu reminded me a little of Bella's on South Howard, but the portions are huge, real tomatoes in the sauce! Some of the best Pizza in the area as well. All our dishes were cooked to perfection and tasty(Chicken Parm, Chicken Bianco, and Seafood Pasta). It was nice just casually sitting outside above Westshore, listening to some tunes, having some drinks, and eating great food. Will be back for sure! It was than on to the Green Iguana Westshore down the street, packed house, and a good band playing, again we sat out in the tiki bar area. It was getting late, and some of us wanted to check out some 'alternative' bars. The last days of the Male Room were this weekend, so some of us headed there, only to learn that they were moving to Ybor City as a bar on 7th Ave and 14th Street called '7 at 14' another alternative bar was opening in Ybor(this makes 6 now, and overheard that there were three others in the works, all on 7th Ave)..seems to be turning into a mecca for the gay bars, like a mini boystown. For the heck of it, we then decided to keep the alternative bar crawl going in South Tampa, so we headed to The Rainbow Room on MacDill Ave, a lesbian bar that is male friendly - they had great jello shots, kick ass juke box, and a huge back area with volleyball sand courts....we ended at City Side on Henderson Ave, about a couple dozen late night peeps listening to great tunes as they played the videos to the songs simultaneously on the video monitors throughout the bar. Interesting diverse evening with lots of laughs, and great people watchin'.

Shuttle Launch from Tampa, "Totally Electric", and Fort DeSoto Park

Friday was the Space Shuttle Launch from Cape Canaveral, and you can actually watch the launch right from Tampa..we went to Darin's highrise condo on Bayshore Blvd, it was just after an incredibly strong summer thunderstorm, and overlooking the Bay were two double rainbows across the water, an amazing sight. Right on time, the shuttle took of from the East Coast of Florida, and you can watch the plume of smoke rising in the air through the rainbows. Afterwards we did some apt hopping in Darin's building, heading to John's apt on the 11th florr, then late night at Dan's on the 12th floor. Looking out over the Bayshore, you get a great vantage point to see just how beautiful Tampa really is, with the winding Bayshore Blvd to the skyscrapers of downtown, and all the greenery fom the many old trees throughout South Tampa.
Saturday, Debi and I went kayaking out in Riviera Bay in Northeast St. Petersburg. It was a beautiful day to be out on the water, temps were hovering around 90 today. Afterwards, we headed to Ybor City to see the M.A.D. Theater production of "Totally Electric" at the Ritz Theater(old Masquerade). The theater was done up so to look like a high school reunion, there were cocktails being served, and food from the Silver Ring Cafe. The play was very good, taking an interesting look at everything 80's(music, fashion, lingo), there was just about every type of kid you went to high school with in the play. It was amusing at times, and all in all it was entertaining. We headed to Big City Tavern for dinner in Centro Ybor. It was late(around 10:30pm), so many items on the menu were not available, but they were able to cook up a great 14oz ribeye, and the Salmon stuffed with Crabmeat was excellent as well. It was nice to get a table out on the balcony overlooking 7th Ave. Ybor just isn't the same anymore, as it's heydays in the 90's. The crowds are very different, and there are definitely alot less people in the evenings. With about a dozen people on the ground bantering Christian and religious verbiage, with huge signs condeming sinners, I wondered if they had a permit to make all that noise and Fuss, very disturbing. I miss the good old Ybor days, and it seems some recent incident from a couple of clubs(Empire and Fuel), have led to even less people taking advantage of some great restaurants and entertainment in the City's Historic District. I find myself just going into Ybor for an event, play, or dinner nowadays. After Ybor we met up with some friends at St. Bart's Island House on Howard Ave in Hyde Park. Great Band was playing Jazz/Blues/Dance, with a very lively crowd. St. Bart's is an upscale historic type lounge, great Martini Bar type atmosphere, they are known for their Rum Drinks. A nice outdoor patio with fountains had a lot of people mingling together outside as well. For our last stop, it was the Green Iguana Westshore, closing the night with the Band playing "Crazy Bitch" by Buck Cherry.
Sunday we made it out to Fort DeSoto Park with the bikes, the beach was busier than I had seen in some time, but still PLENTY of room for all to enjoy, while riding today along the paved paths from North Beach to East Beach, this has to be one of the nicest Parks in the Tampa Bay area, where you can truly enjoy everything Florida has to offer: Biking, Kayaking, Historic Fort, Fishing, Pier, Ferry to Egmont Key, Wide open pristine beaches, great views of the Skyway and area islands, and Great Homemade Lemonade!

Tampa Bay - Memorial Day Weekend 2007

Amazing weather this Memorial Day weekend! Very dry, breezy, sunny days, and cooler than normal evenings with great breezes...PERFECT(as long as you weren't on a boat)...
THURSDAY my buddy from LA came to Tampa, I picked him up from TIA(so damn convenient to park in the garage for free, grab his bags and head up to the top deck for a great view), we had to scout out the area for Heffe Weisen beer-first the Rainbow Mart Package store on Westshore, then Sweetbay Liquor store on Gandy, the the Warehouse Wine and Package on Gandy, only to settle for Corona's.....we relaxed with some chilly ones on the patio, and ordered Westshore Pizza. Had some friends come over and we headed out in Tampa for the evening. We met up at Mangrove's on Howard Ave in South Tampa, only a few people in the bar, DJ was spinning downstairs a mix of 80's/90's dance tunes. We tried to get some eats from the late night menu, but the manager demanded that we had to wait 20 more minutes(unitl 10:30pm) to order off the late night..with only a few people in the bar, I really didn't understand this thinking, and was extremely disappointed in Mangrove's!! We ventured out in South Tampa down Howard Ave to MacDinton's..there was a VERY lively crowd, many outside on the patio enjoying the cool breezes. I ran into some people I haven't seen in a while, and we chatted with quite a few people in for the Holiday weekend. My LA buddy was not too happy as they didn't have Heffe-Weisen, but settled for Hoe Garden beer instead(he insisted we get Heffe-Weisen everywhere we go)...we then ventured off to Whiskey Park a few blocks down, the crowd was ok, DJ was spinning here as well..my LA buddy mentioned he was bored, so we left to the MCD's drive thru and called it a night.
FRIDAY we finally got out of the house around 1pm to head to Fort DeSoto Park. We parked along the grassy side road on the way to the North Beach area. The beaches in this area are so wide, and there is so much space, you are practically out there on your own, plenty of room for frisbee throwing, and the water was a lukewarm 82 degrees. Some of the most pristine beaches in Tampa area are here at Fort DeSoto. After the beach it was time to prepare for the Mojito and Meatballs party I annually throw different times of the year..since my buddy was in town, I decide this would be a good time to get some friends together for refreshing mojitos and yes, meatballs(the frozen balls are great heated in Pasta Sauce, served with toothpicks and crusty bread). After the rum was gone, it was a quick walk to the Green Iguana Westshore in Tampa for some shots, and great live music. Then it was on to Hyde Park again, this time Dubliner, where there was a great guitarist outside, and some interesting people to watch and mingle with..it was about 2am, and we were a little hungry so some of us headed to The Deck for Pizza and beers, while others ventured to the packed MacDintons.
SATURDAY I wound up picking up my LA buddy at Rainbow Mart on Howard Ave in South Tampa at 11am..I didn't even want to know what kind of mischief he got into last night, just glad he was safe and not in jail. I dropped him off to sleep off his drunk stupor, and I headed to St. Pete for a great bike ride from 62nd Street to the Pier in downtown St. Pete. It great to bike through a variety of really nice neighborhoods in northern St. Pete along the waterfront Tampa Bay - Riveiera Bay, Venetian Isles, Snell Isle, Old Northeast to name a few...Tampa's Rock station 97X was hosting the annual memorial Day BBQ at Vinoy Park, with a number of bands and events at this all day long festival along the Tampa Bay in downtown St. Pete...again great breezy day, and DRY. A quick nap and it was out to dinner, we ended up at Seven17 on Howard Avenue in Hyde Park are of South Tampa...again! Seven17 is nice, they have outdoor seating, but it was pretty busy this evening around 9pm. A few disappointments will not have me coming back here soon for dinner, the meal didn't come out for about an hour, my filet was very rare when I ordered it Medium, and not once did the waiter ask how everything was, I had to tell him after a while, and he just shrugged his shoulders and just said "sorry bout that"...oh well. Being kind of tired from the Bike ride, we looked for a relaxing Saturday night, so we went to Fly Bar on Franklin Street in downtown Tampa. An excellent spot for great drinks, rooftop bar, eclectic surroundings, and there was a trio of guitarists and a bongo player..very cool and relaxing...then we checked out the new bar across from University of Tampa called The Retreat Bar, on Hyde Park Ave. The Green Iguana guys fixed this place up, great juke box, pool tables, dart boards, and a variety of beers, and ONLY beers...we played some darts, they did a great job fixing the place up, and are adding a restaurant soon.(The Retreat was the original name when it opened in 1938, there is alot of history to this place.)
SUNDAY I took my boy to the dog beach at Picnic Island in South Tampa. VERY busy today, but still alot of space for the dogs to explore and roam around the beach. My LA buddy decided it was time to visit family, so he took off for Ft Myers, and I headed up to Wesley Chapel for lunch with my brother, sis in law and my new nephew. Leaving South Tampa, and Tampa in general on the way to Wesley Chapel, I was attacked...by what seemed like millions of love bugs...uggg, all over the wind shield and front bumper! There was some heavy mating by Lovebugs this season...Later Sunday evening we went to my friends in the Historic Roser Park in St. Pete, and took there boat out into the Bay to drive it over to dinner at Fresco's, on downtown St. Pete's waterfront. Not a great idea, as we got out of the channel and into the Bay, it was sooo rough, we had to head back, and just drive it to the restaurant, and the fact that the rough seas caused a lil bit of a spillage of our red wine we were drinking to kind of make a bit of a mess..it was alot of laughs though. Dinner at Fresco;s was great, a bit pricey, but the outdoor seating and views are worth the price. The food is excellent as was the service. WE then headed to BayWalk for some Ice Cream, and then called it a night watching "School of Scoundrels" on Pay Per View(hilarious movie).
MONDAY-MEMORIAL DAY, hung the American Flag out today, and did the family thing, we BBQ Brats and such in the backyard, enjoying the last of what we feel will be a non-humid, dry, breezy perfect weekend in Tampa Bay! One last note, I inherited a new little girl to my family, 5 year old Rica, a min-pin, from my brother. I have always thought about getting a second dog for my boy, and they wanted to keep her in the family, but two border collies, and a new baby were too much for Rica, so I was able to take her in, and very happy to have her!

Another Great Tampa Bay Weekend!

I ended work around 4pm Friday, Lisa was on her way over, and we were heading out to John's Pass at Madeira Beach to see my friend Rob play at The Hut. He's an awesome musician and singer, plays a WIDE variety of tunes(his band is 'Buffalo Strange'). The food at the Hut is great, I ordered wings this time, and Lisa had the Chicken Tacos. Wings were HUGE, with a flour breading and baked..the chicken tacos were stuffed with lots of chicken and cheese. The Hut is a great place on the Intracoastal, where you can watch boats coming in and out of the Gulf through John's Pass. There are tons of shops and restaurants/bars in John's Pass.
Afterwards we headed to meet some friends at downtown St. Pete's First Friday event. They close a few blocks of Central Avenue downtown, have a band, and lots of locals from around St. Pete and elsewhere have a great time. St. Pete has a great downtown, Jannus Landing was open to the public this evening with a free Reggae Concert, and the Blues Fest was going on at the waterfront Vinoy Park. We hung out at "Taste for Wine' bar on the second floor on Central Ave between 2nd and 3rd streets. It was great to watch the crowd below from the outdoor balcony seats we had. The place has all kinds of wines by the bottle and glass, and a few appetizers which were very pricey, and very small in portions(cheese and fruit plate).
We left St. Pete to head closer to home in Tampa, and ended the evening meeting some other friends at Green Iguana Westshore, a happenin spot always, the live band was great tonight, and they finally finished the new bathrooms which are AMAZING as far as bathroom's go...a great change from the past.
Saturday we went on a buddy's boat, out from Tierra Verde to Shell Island(the island just off the northern tip of Fort DeSoto). Lots of people hanging out, relaxing along the beautiful island, crystal clear aqua blue waters are getting warmer..and the temps outside are also getting warmer..it was a perfect beach, boat, sunning day.
Sunday was 'Family Fun Day' as my brother and I call it, so we headed to my Moms new house in Southern Hillsborough, and all went to the Prime Outlet Stores in Ellenton, lots of bargains to be had at the outlets, and me being not the shopper found a few things with the help from the family.
The work week takes me to NYC this week, be back on Sunday, just in time for Mother's Day!

Birthday Weekend in Tampa!

Got back from my business trip on Friday, and decided to watch Robin Williams "Man of the Year" on Pay Per View...funny flick. Saturday, my friends took me out to 717 South in Hyde Park on Howard Avenue. Most of the restaurants were all packed and not seting until at least 9:30pm, so we ended up at 717, and glad we did. We were able to get a table outside along Howard Ave within 15 minutes..the weather was excellent this evening. Angie provided incredible service, we ordered the 8oz fillets, and Pork Chop which was huge and cooked perfectly, I will definitely be back. The menu is Italian and Pan Asian. Afterwards we went for a few cocktails at Mangrove's which started getting busy around 11:30, great DJ.
Sunday, wen to the Green Thumb Festival in St. Pete, this had to be one of the biggest and best plant, outdoor art, and landscaping festivals ive been to. Got myself a unique Pitcher Plant. WE then went to Green Iguana on Bay Pines near the causeway leading to Maderia Beach. Crab Rangoon was awesome, and of course they serve some of the best burgers. We ate outside, watching the boats come in and out on the intracoastal. Sunday evening was birthday celebration with the family...homemade baked Ziti..and lots of laughs with Aunt and Uncle, Bro and Sis-in-Law and Sebastian, and my mom.
Monday, the actual BirthDAY, we had a small BBQ at my house, and watched "Tenacious D" with Jack Black...another good movie, interesting storyline.

Friday Night Ybor...

WE were heading to see the band "SemiSoul" in Ybor last night(Great band), but never made it to actually see them. Lisa came over around 630, we picked up some friends off Bayshore went to Ybor. We decided for the some dinner before the show, and Valet parked at Centro Ybor on 9th Ave, behind the theaters(great idea if you are goign to the movies, or eating in the restaurants in Centro Ybor-only $3 with validation). We ate at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company, great outdoor patio that was lively with music..the food was great, service was excellent(thanks Phil). I had the Shepards Pie, and the others had Salads. Lots of homeade Brews in this joint.
After dinner we went over to the Orpheum to see the show, SemiSoul was opening for Del Castillo. Arriving about 5 minutes before 8pm, we were let in, and then told that we would need to come back at 8. After asking the bouncer and others when SemiSoul would be playing(there were three bands playing), that did not know the line-up, and then we asked if we could just hang out for 5 minutes(till 8), and they said no we had to leave and wait outside...for 5 minutes! What a joke...we left and watched the Tampa Bay Lightning lose to the Devils in the Stanley Cup playoffs game 3 at Rockin Sports Grille. A good time there, we talked with some strange woman(she must have been 80 yo, and an Ybor resident), but she had lots of good stories. After the game was over(about 845), we went back to Orpheum, only to hear as we walked in that SemiSoul was playing their last song...one of us stayed, the rest of us left to go elsewhere. The Orpheum is a very grungy type music venue, large stage, one large bar, but definitely not kept up like the State Theater in St. Pete(their sister venue-same owner).
We walked down 7th and stopped by Adobe Gila's, great guitarist playing, and it was sort of outdoors on the 2nd floor of Centro Ybor. There were some fine looking people in this place. Centro Ybor was packed, Tracey Morgan was a the Improv. After a drink there and some laughs, we headed again down 7th Ave to Green Iguana, great crowd, played some darts, and the live band was awesome.
Deciding to be closer to home, we left Ybor, and headed to the Green Iguana Westshore. Again, a great crowd..had some Yummy Chicken Nachos(John the manager made sure the kitchen made one last item for us)..live band inside, but we stayed outside on the Tiki Deck.
Busy weekend ahead..Madre is moving into her home in South Hillsborough, so my bro and I are doing lots of stuff for her, then a BBQ in Roser Park neighborhood of St. Pete, Mainsail Art Festival at Vinoy Park, and the Lightning are home on Sunday for an afternoon playoff game at the Forum.

Dali Fest, St Pete Beach, Tampa GreenFest

Another great weekend come and gone - Saturday morning, made the trip to Home Depot to complete the Spring Yard Cleaning, and plantings. Lisa and Bryan came over and we headed to Dori and Darrin's in Roser Park to go to DaliFest in downtown St. Pete at the Dali Museum. Dori and Darrin have an awesome 1920's home is the Historic Roser Park section of downtown St. Pete, just south of Bayfront Hospital. I'd recommend a walk or at least drive thru this VERY unique historic neighborhood. Lots of hills, older homes. DaliFest was celebrating its 25th year, with live bands on some vendors along the waterfront. Weather couldn't be more perfect. The museum was having 1/2 price admission and free guided tours, so Bryan and I went in to take a look at Salvador Dali's amazing collection - this museum in St. Pete boasts one of the largest Dali original collections in the world.
After the Festival we headed to St. Pete Beach for dinner and sunset. Driving down Gulf Blvd from Central Ave towards Pass-a-Grille, we could tell there were LOTS of people in town, the Blvd was very busy. We finally made it to Pass-a-Grille beach and ended up watching the sunset from the Hurricane rooftop bar, then went over to The Brass Monkey for dinner. Had a great table out on the deck over looking the Gulf of Mexico. Lisa had the Fish n Chips, Huge piece of White Fish with Fries, and 5 Onion Soup which was very tasty. Bryan got a Burger, and I had the Salmon with Pesto Sauce. All in all, an excellent spot!!
We then headed to Georgi's Alibi in St. Pete, as Bryan had never been there before, he just moved to Tampa from Dallas 6 weeks ago and was getting to know the area. Nice crowd, not too busy, but it was just before 11pm, and i was told it gets very busy by midnight. Green Iguana Westshore was next on our list, as it was walking distance to my house. We hung out on the Tiki Bar deck, checkin out the people, and listening to an all time fav band, Velvet Jones.

Sunday was Family Fun Day - it seems a term me and my bro made up as we have been spending the last few months getting together every Sunday, usually with my mom, aunt and uncle, and of course his wife and new baby boy. Today we went to the Tampa GreenFest, at Plant Park downtown. Plant Park is a beautiful park on the grounds of the University of Tampa along the Hillsborough River. Great photo ops of downtown skyscrapers, lots of shade trees and plams, and of course the UT famous minarets and historic buildings around the University as a backdrop. The festival had numerous nearby nursery and garden center booths, i had no idea Tampa had so many small mom n pop type garden centers around town. After a few hours here, we were hungry and headed to Hawk's on Bay to Bay near MacDill Ave. Great choice we sat outside, the NCAA games were on (Florida and Oregon), inside was packed with Gator fans. Sandwiches were big and extremely tasty, excellent Quesadilla's with lots of chicken. The Beef Melt is one of my favs, lots of Cheddar Cheese and Grilled Onions on a Garlic Buttered Cuban Bread. We then headed to Dairy Joy, my local neighborhood Ice Cream shop on Manhattan Ave, just south of Euclid Ave, with Soft Serve, and Sundaes. They have a walk up window, and picnic tables outside. We relaxed at my house in the backyard, and watched videos and pictures from the days adventure. The weather over the next few weeks through May is my favorites time, very low humidity, clear blue skies, breezy, and temps from the upper 50's at night to about 80 during the day....PERFECT!