Re-setting in Tampa

Sleepy little St. Pete Beach

In late October, I was in Tampa, Florida, on business. As I'd never been there before, I decided to spend the weekend in the area for a much-needed re-charge. When I arrived, I checked into the Tampa Marriott Waterside, which was a lovely property with a marina.

Day 1 

As my room wasn't yet ready, I spent a couple of hours strolling the Riverwalk area. It's a beautiful development, with tons of trails, public art installations, and signs explaining the history of Tampa. It runs the length of the water, and you can find museums, shops, cafes, and boat rentals all along the promenade. A smart visitors' development. When I got hungry, I popped in for a bit of dinner at Jackson's Bistro and Sushi Bar, where I enjoyed some excellent crab cakes.

Day 2, 3

For the next couple of days, I spent my time at a conference. It was interesting to hear how other professionals are approaching the same problems, and I loved meeting folks face to face and swapping best practices.

Lovelies at La Casa Del Pane. Sigh.

At the end of two days' events, the conference closed, and I was left to my own devices. I started by having a late lunch at Columbia Cafe, where I chose the original 1905 salad and an order of croquettes. (Delicious, and just the right amount of food. I sat in the open-air part of the restaurant, and my server was helpful and sweet. Prices were reasonable, too!) Then, I checked out of my hotel and got a car to St. Pete Beach. I'd rented an Air BnB there, a small beach cottage, for the weekend.

It was a charming place! A small, sleepy beach town, and my sweet little house was practically waterside. Plus, the owner had left me a bike to ride! (And coffee!!) I spent the rest of the day lolling on the beach. There's something deeply satisfying about walking along the water alone, with nothing to do and nowhere to be. One can be alone with one's thoughts, with oneself. One's mind can unfold in a way that's difficult to achieve in the hectic, social day-to-day.

Chihuly's glass is as fluid as water.

After the sun set, I ducked into Willy's Burgers and Booze for dinner. Though everyone recommends the burger here, I spied boiled shrimp, and that's what I wanted. I bellied up to the bar, and I was served quickly. Food was plentiful, yummy, and cheap! After I ate my fill, I headed back to the cottage for an early night.

Day 4

The next morning, I pedaled my bike about in search of breakfast. I found La Casa Del Pane, a gorgeous Italian bakery/cafe! A dream! They had omelettes, pastries, cappuccinos, everything you could want! I ended up coming back here each morning for breakfast. Only a quick trip on the bike!

Then, because scattered thunderstorms were in the forecast for the day, I caught an Uber to St. Petersburg proper. I had my sights set on the Morean Arts Center - Chihuly Collection. When I arrived, the museum was practically deserted. I paid my admission fee and slipped into a world of shining, undulating color. The collection is impressive, and it's displayed in darkened rooms against black backdrops, lit to glittering advantage.

The chandeliers are massive and yet somehow delicate teardrops, and inventive staging (as with the Sunset installation) begs closer inspection. The film at the end of the permanent collection, which shows glass blowers at work in a theatrical setting, is fascinating.

After I'd enjoyed the exhibits, I crossed the street to see some local glass-blowers at work. I loved watching them create spiraled, colorful threads of glass, which they wound together to create intricate patterns in finished pieces.

The Dali Museum looks as fantastical
as the man it commemorates. 

Then, I walked the charming downtown area a bit. When I got hungry, I stepped into The Mill, a cool local restaurant with an industrial vibe. Big gears were hung on the walls, and the banquette seats were upholstered in denim. I ordered the Club Med Naan, a delicious wrap stuffed with shrimp. Service was quick, food was good, and prices were reasonable here.

Full of yumminess, I walked to my next destination - The Dali Museum. Friends had told me it was world-class, and they were right. The exterior of the structure is as fanciful as the art inside - a swirl of concrete and glass. Once indoors, grab an audio guide and begin your visit in the theatre for a film about Dali and his life. Then, step through the museum chronologically, watching Dali's evolution from a passionate art student trying on the styles of the Old Masters to an undeniable original.

You'll see many iconic Dali works here, from objects to paintings to illustrations. In the museum's virtual reality experience, you get to put on a VR viewer and explore the inside of a Dali painting. Completely immersive, engaging, and surreal. During my visit, the museum also had a collection of photographs of Dali's home and the surrounding area on display, which provided interesting context. And the gift shop is a delight.

A VR experience allowed visitors to step
inside this Dali work. Amazing.

After my exploration of the museum, I ambled back downtown, stopping for an ice cream and some shopping. Then, it was an Uber back to the cottage and an early night!

Day 5

On my last full day in St. Pete Beach, I ate breakfast in my Italian cafe, and then spent the day outside on the water. I walked and walked and walked, dipping my toes in the surf. I was dismayed to find quite a few dead fish on the beach. Most of them were small, and they were spaced 10-15 feet apart, but there were enough to cause me concern.

A little Googling and talking with the locals, and I found out about red tide. It's such a shame. I'd imagine that, between fishing and tourism, a significant portion of Florida's economy relies on healthy oceans. But this year's red tide is apparently one of the worst. It's very disappointing and sad to see, particularly in light of the fact that local leadership seems to have thrown up their hands on this issue.

After a day of tooling around on the beach and the bike, I took a car for dinner at Palm Court Italian Grill, which is located in the TradeWinds resort. After a slightly rocky start (It took me a while to get seated, even though I had a reservation and the restaurant was largely empty.), things started looking up. I ordered a seafood pasta and a glass of wine, both of which were tasty. Service was prompt and friendly, and when I was finished with my dinner, I took one last turn about the beach and fell into bed.

The next morning, it was Italian cafe-Uber-plane-home! I was particularly charmed by the world-class art, lovely downtown St. Petersburg, and the old-school sleepiness of the St. Pete Beach area. I will be keeping my eye on the evolution of red tide, though, as it could come to spoil Florida's main attraction - sugar sands and brilliant blue waters.