Green Bench Monthly - Vol 3, Issue 3, March 2018

Vol. 3, Issue 3, MARCH 2018

St. Pete’s Direct-Mail Community Magazine

Save Our Strays pg. 16

Now and Then

Sunken Gardens pg. 4

Celebration Outreach

A ‘Tiny’ Solution pg. 7

Market Mafia

Movers & Makers pg. 19

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Volleyball at Vinoy. Photo by Brian Brakebill.

Publishers

Ashley & Tony Sica

Editor

From the Bench In This Issue...

Cristina Juska

Contributing Editors Rui Farias, Nadine Maas, Mary Jane Park, Pam Sica

Contributors [This Issue]

Jacque Bishop, Tara Britton, Tina Stewart Brakebill, Erin Cody, Rui Farias, Mary Jane Park, Jack Spinrad, Nehemiah Warner, Brian Zucker

Photo Credits On the Cover: Save Our Strays

by Evan Sigmund

Tampa Bay Furnishings

by Kelly Nash Photography From the Bench, Barbara Riddle-Dvorak and Downtown Developments

by Brian Brakebill

Contact

PO BOX 76095 St. Petersburg, FL 33734 (727) 280-5406 info@greenbenchmonthly.com

Proud member of:

Grab an iced drink, snuggle up to a fan, and read this issue closely—we’ve got something for everyone this month. But first, a huge THANK-YOU to our readers. Our community supporters keep telling us about all the wonderful feedback and new business they are getting from being featured in GBM— thank you and keep showering these locals with your love and support!

The Kind Mouse Productions 7th Annual Easter Food Drive runs through March 23rd. Snack size food is most needed (think cereal bars, pudding, juice boxes). To participate email events@thekindmouse.org.

MidiCi is Now a Full-Service Restaurant. Stop by and take advantage of their lunch special. See pg. 18 for details.

Congratulations to Snell Isle Resident Robert Leonard / RPL Videos!

His first documentary film titled SHINE Mural Festival 2017 Legacy Project by Zulu and Thirst in St. Petersburg, Florida was accepted into the 2018 Gasparilla International Film Festival under the ‘Florida Short’ category. To watch the documentary, visit youtube.com search ‘RPL Videos SHINE Mural Festival’.

The Tampa Bay Open Water Swim to Fight Cancer is Coming to St. Pete April 14th and a very dedicated group of high school student swimmers from St. Petersburg and Tampa are taking time to recruit their friends to swim and to raise money for this important cause. See pg. 22 for event info or visit www. swimacrossamerica.org/tampabay.

Back row: Brendan Driscoll, Tyre Hill, Isabel Minnis. Front row: Molly Maguire, Carli Taymans, Julia Finster, Taylor Emerson, Brooke Harrigan, Megan Maguire. Not pictured: Emery Camp, Magellan Grant, Madison Pyhel

Till next time,

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Sunken Gardens: Now and Then

Celebrate Outreach: A ‘Tiny’ Solution to a Big Problem

Kelly Nash Photography

10 Tampa Bay Furnishings: Bring Your Vision to Life

12 A Non-Millennial New Millennium St. Pete Transplant 14 Bank of Tampa: Invested in Pinellas County

16 Save Our Strays: The Time is Meow

18 DTSP on a Dime

19 Movers & Makers

20 From the Museum’s Archives 21 Downtown Developments 22 Events

CORRECTION: Vol. 3, Issue 2, February 2018 incorrectly stated that Albert Whitted Airport is the birthplace of commercial flight; it is in fact the Pier Approach. Tony Jannus began his takeoff on a water “runway” directly behind Fresco’s on the south side of 2nd Ave NE. in what is now the public marina.

Direct-mailed to 15,400 homes in zip codes 33701, 33704 and 33713.

Neighborhoods included in our mailing: Allendale, Crescent Heights, Crescent Lake, Downtown, Euclid-St. Paul, Five Points, Greater Woodlawn, Historic Kenwood, Historic Old Northeast, Magnolia Heights, North East Park, Snell Isle, & Woodlawn

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History

Sunken Gardens: Now & Then

Photos by City of St. Petersburg

In 1989, I began a job as a manufacturer’s representative. Actually, I represented 25 different manufacturers, all of which sold products related to the gift and tourism industries. Let’s see, I was living in Northeast St. Pete, pretty close to a popular tourist attraction which boasted the “World’s Largest Gift Shop”. It was a no-brainer. Naturally, Sunken Gardens became my first cold call.

A rather large Sunken Gardens sign at 1825 4th Street North graced the parking lot, which made it rather easy to find. I parked near the entrance, which in and of itself was an attraction. The main entrance was designed to give the appearance of a tropical cave with a waterfall and small pond.

Pink flamingos waded to the right of a bridge that went over the water, and I entered the cave and approached the ticket counter, where I paid my entrance fee.

My first glimpse of the gift shop amazed me. It was huge. As I looked among the displays I was sure I had a bunch of stuff that would fit right in. Let’s just say over the course of the two years I was in the business, the Gardens became my largest customer.

Throughout the two years, I had the opportunity to speak with many of the employees and management. Since I had an interest in history, those who had been longtime employees were eager to share what they knew.

By Jack Spinrad

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Early Days

The beginning of Sunken Gardens can be traced back to 1903, when George Turner, Sr., a plumber by trade, who also was an avid gardener, bought six acres of land in St. Petersburg. He drained a shallow lake on the property, which was below sea level, leaving a mucky, rich soil, perfect

for his favorite hobby, and began cultivating his sunken botanical garden.

By the early 1920s, Turner found that his friends and neighbors enjoyed wandering through his lush property, so he began charging a nickel per visitor. He planted papayas, citrus trees and other exotic plants in the rich soil surrounding his home. Turner opened a nursery and began selling fruit, vegetables, flowers and other plants. In the fall of 1935, he fenced in his botanical garden and increased the admission fee to 25 cents.

Mid Century

The main building on Fourth Street was built in 1926 as the Sanitary Public Market. It was a Mediterranean Revival style, walk-through arcade with twin Moorish towers, cast stone trim and a tile roof. The Market closed in 1931 and the building became the American Legion Armory, used for wrestling matches and other Legion events.

In the 1940s, the building was sold to the St. Petersburg Bottling Company for use as a Coca Cola bottling plant. The Turner family purchased it 1967 and turned it into the World’s Largest Gift Shop and the King of Kings Wax Museum, which featured life-size wax figures portraying scenes from the bible.

The Gardens became very popular as a roadside attraction through the years, and from the 1950s through the 1970s it was ranked among Florida’s top ten commercial attractions. Turner’s vision was maintained by three generations of his family. In the face of dwindling attendance, the Turner family made several changes, including adding an area for garden weddings and receptions. They finally closed the attraction in 1995.

Present Day

In 1999, the City of St. Petersburg bought Sunken Gardens with funds from a voter-approved tax. The Gardens were designated as a local historic landmark and underwent several years of restoration. On June 27, 2002, the former Sanitary Public Market building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the Gardens are still maintained by the City, and feature more than 500 species of tropical and subtropical plants, as well as cascading waterfalls and pools. The collection contains more than 50,000 tropical plants. The atmosphere of the gardens is peaceful and serene, with quiet paths to stroll at your leisure, and benches to sit and reflect on the beauty of nature. Many plants have grown quite large, compared to typical specimens, owing to their long history of protection and cultivation. Some of the plants are more than 100 years old!

The main building is now home to Great Explorations Children’s Museum. Once located near the pier approach, the museum moved adjacent to Sunken Gardens in 2003. With hands-on, interactive exhibits, Great Explorations is a popular school field trip destination, and is a great place for parents to take kids to cool off inside on a hot day.

Plan a Visit

Discover, or rediscover, this hidden gem in the heart of St. Pete!

Sunken Gardens is open Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m. (admission sales end daily at 4pm). Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 62+, and $4 for kids age 2-11. Or, purchase an annual family membership for just $50, and visit as often as you like.

Visit http://www.stpete.org/attractions/sunken_gardens/index.php for upcoming special events, including the annual Orchid Festival on March 11 and a class on Easy Care Natives and Wildflowers on March 24.

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uplift st. pete

Celebrate Outreach:

A ‘Tiny’ Solution to a Big Problem

By Jacque Bishop Who isn’t in love with the adorable, cozy “tiny houses” that we see in magazines and on TV? They seem to speak to us of the peaceful, safe, homey things we wish for in our own crazy lives. Shelter from the storm. A place to lay our spinning heads. Freedom from debt, and a simpler lifestyle based on collecting experiences, not possessions.

For the homeless veteran, however, the concept of shelter takes on a whole new dimension. Permanent housing is a prerequisite for all other treatments and services a homeless person may need; health and socialization support systems simply are not effective until someone has a safe and permanent home.

Since its founding in 2007, Celebrate Outreach has been working to fulfill their mission of preventing and ending homelessness in our area, with a particular focus on homeless vets.

“We know,” said the organization’s treasurer, Irene Pavese, “That there is really no ‘us’ and ‘them’. There’s such a fine line between any of us and a catastrophe. St. Petersburg is in a wonderful growth phase, but the flip side of that is that affordable housing is disappearing.”

Celebrate Outreach’s membership and board are a small but dogged force who, according to their secretary, Sabine Von Aulock, “operate totally on the goodwill of volunteers and donors.”

One Tiny Home

So, ending homelessness for all?

Impossible, right? Like any huge goal, it seems less formidable when broken down into individual tasks. Celebrate Outreach decided that they would begin with one tiny home for one homeless veteran.

Enter USF Professor of Architecture Josue Robles Caraballo, a citizen of the world with a holistic view of housing, years of expertise, irrepressible enthusiasm, and—students! In the

summer of 2017, Robles designed a course at USF Tampa with the goal of turning Celebrate Outreach’s tiny home vision into reality.

Robles calls his group of 16 students “a huge source of creativity, original thinking and energy.” Coming from various countries, they brought global perspectives on housing— such as, “What is a living room?”— which challenged conventional uses of space. Two of the students are veterans themselves, and one who uses a wheelchair.

“He was our reality-checker,” Robles said.

“He kept us honest. It is great for future architects to be involved in this socially charged project.

They’re working in a real-world setting”.

While Celebrate Outreach continued to work on fundraising and providing weekly Saturday breakfasts and Friday dinners for the homeless, Robles and his class at USF brainstormed a model for the house. They began with 48 ideas, ranging from shipping containers to 3D-printed models. Finally, there were four models left standing, with one in particular leading the pack.

The real challenge was turning a 500-squarefoot dwelling into a home, says Robles: “These had to be homes that you or I could live in. Full kitchens and full bathrooms, plenty of natural light...historically comfortable elements like a front porch. They had to be designed to fit into the neighborhood they would occupy, and also be something that would please the neighbors.”

Meanwhile, a limited budget meant that they had to get creative. The students focused their energy on affordable materials of good quality, ease of maintenance and compliance with ADA standards for disabled folk. “All without the luxury of custom, built-in cabinetry,” Robles said.

Robles was determined that this first model home would be a template, which would be easy for contractors to replicate. According to Von Aulock, an urban planner for Hillsborough

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County, they have received many offers to buy the plans, but, for now, it is Celebrate Outreach’s own seed, which they hope to see bloom by the end of 2018.

Time to Think Big

Pinellas County is almost entirely built out, and land here is expensive. However, the tiny home designed by Robles’ class fits nicely into what contractors call a “substandard lot”, or a parcel that isn’t large enough for a fullsize house. Many of these mini-lots remain available, and Celebrate Outreach is working with the City of St. Petersburg to find the right place to build.

Von Aulock said: “Sadly, we’ve already lost three because we’ve not yet had the capital to buy.

We’ve raised about $14,000 on our own, but we’re still $30,000 away from putting the shovel in the ground. Our new accountant created a business plan that pretty clearly rules out the ‘spaghetti dinner’ fundraiser model...We have to begin to think big and we have to do it now.”

In the meantime, Celebrate Outreach is considering the all-important social issues that will impact the future veteran-occupant of the home. They are looking to partner with other area organizations to provide much-needed services, and to help veterans navigate the transition from homeless to homeowner.

“The idea is that the home will belong to him or her,” Von Aulock said. “We surely don’t want to be landlords. It will be a source of stability and pride for our vet to really own his or her own home...I can tell you now that it takes a village to build one home, and our village will keep on growing!”.

Celebrate Outreach is an all-faiths-based 501(c)3 organization. For more information or to get involved, visit www.celebrateoutreach.org; call the organization’s president, Reggie Craig, at (727) 631-1031 or email concretesolutions@ celebrateoutreach.org.

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Local business

Kelly Nash Photography

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

Kelly Nash is no ordinary photographer. Visit her website photo gallery and you’ll see what I mean. No staged, awkward smiles in front of a drop-in background; no frozen headshots framed in beige or light blue. Instead you’ll see a vast array of photos that depict real life in all its authentic beauty. Whether you’re a family or a business, that thing that makes you unique shines through in each of the shots.

So, if Kelly were to turn the camera on herself, what would it show?

How did Kelly Nash become Kelly Nash Photography?

From St. Pete to Barcelona to St. Pete Kelly was born and raised in St. Pete, and she can scarcely remember a time when she wasn’t interested in photography. It has always been her passion. She even chose to photograph her high school prom rather than attend it!

As she entered adulthood, she wasn’t sure how practical photography would be as a “job”. A two-year post-college stay in Barcelona, Spain helped Kelly prioritize her life’s path and fully embrace the “artistic hippie”

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side of herself. This transition allowed her commit to transforming her passion into a career. She knew, though, that she didn’t want to be the type of photographer who staged traditional photo shoots; she had something else in mind.

She returned to St. Pete five years ago, determined to bring her photographic vision to life with Kelly Nash Photography.

Documentary-Style Photo Shoots

Central to this vision is the belief that staged photos are a poor substitute for real life. Kelly knows that everyone’s story is unique. She also understands that if she wants to capture the essence of that story, whether it’s at work or play, then her photo subjects need to move and interact.

They need to LIVE, so that their genuine personalities shine through the lens onto the photo paper or screen. She accomplishes this goal through documentary-style photo shoots that allow her to organically memorialize moments of beauty or spontaneity or creativeness.

It sounds like a great idea, but what does it mean in terms of an actual photo shoot? For family shoots, Kelly asks her subjects to think about what sort of moments they value. What is the story of YOU? Are you newly in love? Are the kids growing faster than weeds? Is your mom visiting her newest grandchild? Are you nearing a special birthday or anniversary? Are you just happy with the rhythm of your everyday life? After Kelly listens to what is important to you, she’ll spend anywhere from an hour to an entire day or more documenting what unfolds in those moments. No bribery. No forced smiles. No fake backgrounds. Just genuine moments. The result is a unique and beautiful depiction of what is special and real in your life.

Kelly’s documentary style isn’t just for memorializing your family moments. It’s also a great way to capture the life of your business. How many business cards are tossed, billboards ignored and websites unclicked

Kelly’s business storytelling sessions showcase what genuinely makes you and your business special.

because potential customers are unimpressed or bored?

Kelly knows a business is more than a name. It’s people. What is it that makes you and your people special? Who are you? How do you work? Kelly listens and then spends time documenting these moments. The results are professional and genuine photos that do more than depict a headshot on a boring background. They showcase what genuinely makes you and your business special.

Thanks to St. Pete

Talking with Kelly, two things were abundantly clear. First, she is passionate about what she does. She loves making photos. She is thrilled when families of all types and sizes allow her to share their special moments. She enjoys helping a business transform their public image from just a name on paper to a living, breathing entity. Her passion for her craft is such that she even finds time to offer photography lessons.

Secondly, she is profoundly grateful to St. Pete. She returned home from Spain with a vision for photography that differed from the traditional. The community could have rejected this vision; instead, St. Pete embraced it. As she put it, “I love them for that!” And St. Pete seems to love her right back!

Looking for a Photographer?

If you are looking to capture a special moment in your family life, or to enhance your business profile, then look no further than Kelly Nash Photography. You can find her at kellynashphotography.com or on Instagram @kellynashphotography.

Kelly’s photos and other local art will be on display at Black Crow Coffee Co. throughout the month of March. Stop by for a cold (or hot) brew and take it all in. Black Crow Coffee is located in Old Northeast at 722 2nd St N, 33701.

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Local Business

Lydia Mason and Sondra Hannan Photo by Kelly Nash Photography

Tampa Bay Furnishings: Bring YOUR Vision to Life

By Mary Jane Park

Shawn and Sondra Hannan invite you to step inside Tampa Bay Furnishings. Their goal is to help you figure out exactly what it is you need to make your home or office complete.

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Shawn and Sondra Hannan know what you’re thinking. You want a new sofa or loveseat. And maybe a lamp. You have a few ideas torn from magazines and a few more you noted from a TV decor show.

Those big showrooms are overwhelming. So are the number of options online. Hiring a designer seems out of the question.

The Hannans invite you to step inside Tampa Bay Furnishings. Their goal is to help you figure out exactly what it is you need to make your home complete, to make it fit your personality and vision.

Before opening the shop, Shawn was indulging his woodworking hobby, and found that people were drawn to some of his creations. “He built a lot of pieces for us,” Sondra said, especially accents such as wooden wine racks and candlesticks.

As they furnished their own home, Sondra said, “We noticed that there were big-box stores and really high-end boutiques. We wanted to create something in the middle.”

Their love of woodworking and high-quality furniture led them to open Tampa Bay Furnishings in November of 2014. The shop features thoughtfully

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curated pieces to help ignite clients’ creativity. Together, Shawn and Sondra visit vendors throughout the country in order to expand their knowledge and find additional resources for their clients.

“Our store is like a lifestyle,” Shawn said. “We’re trying to create a community. We want the store to be a fun, living place.”

Sondra handles many of the store’s administrative tasks, including sales, back-office duties, inventory and website updates. The team also includes Lydia Mason, store manager and interior designer, and Michelle Turpeau, marketing director, who works with Realtors, designers, builders and other professionals on referral programs.

Inspired Design

Tampa Bay Furnishings is the place to go for all your furnishing needs. They offer items for every room in your house, plus an eclectic mix of items you won’t find anywhere else. For example, one recent afternoon, a shop visitor inquired about a lighting fixture, and learned that it once illuminated part of the Treasure Island Bridge.

Many paintings and accessories in the shop come from Tampa Bay area artists like these by Robert Tillberg In addition to one-of-a-kind finds like this, many paintings and accessories in the shop come from Tampa Bay area artists, many of whom have no studio space to display their work. “We want to support local artists,” Lydia said. The shop provides an environment where they can get their work out in front of potential investors.

Lydia works with clients to help them identify their unique design style.

“We really like to look at how they dress and try to match their style,” she said. She puts together a floor plan and digital boards to help them envision the space. “People get to a certain point, and they need help,” Lydia said.

“Often, when we arrive at a plan, they’ll say, ‘That’s so me!’“ Lydia also said that the showroom is “just the tip of the iceberg” of the service they can provide to clients. “Come into the store one day, and you may not see exactly what you want,” she said. But once they get to know the client, they can provide real, usable and functional looks, which fit into your unique lifestyle, and can endure even children and dogs.

So the next time you are looking to update your home furnishings or decor, before you make a questionable online purchase on a rug, table or chair, “Just pop in,” Shawn said. “It’s such a hassle to undo bad decisions.”

Tampa Bay Furnishings is located at 3034 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. in St. Pete. They are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information call 727-821-4100 or visit TampaBayFurnishings.com.

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people of st. pete

Not Your Stereotypical 1950s Teeny Bopper or 1960s Suburban Housewife

Where did that road begin? Barbara grew up in in the West Village of New York City. Her Bohemian and fascinating childhood started a journey that was far from typical. In 1960, with no immediate desire to join the ranks of suburban housewives, Barbara left New York at age sixteen to study chemistry and European literature at Oregon’s Reed College. From there, she went on to earn her Ph.D. in biochemistry at Brandeis University. Bucking the expected path again, she chose writing instead of science or suburbia.

Over the next several decades, she lived in London, then San Francisco and Prague before returning to New York. She raised a daughter, sold real estate and continued to write. Her devotion to her craft resulted in the publication of her first book, The Girl Pretending to Read Rilke.

Why Does a New Yorker Move to Florida?

An article in the New York Times inspired Barbara to visit St. Petersburg, but relocation was not originally part of the plan. As she describes it, after dinner at Moon Under Water and a walk under the twinkling lights along Beach Drive, she was hooked. This was a writer’s city; she could feel it. The next day, she purchased a condominium in the former St. Petersburg High School. For five years, she split her time between New York and the historic Mirror Lake neighborhood in St. Petersburg before arriving to stay in 2012.

Now A St. Pete Transplant

Barbara Riddle-Dvorak. Photo by Brian Brakebill

A Non-Millennial New Millennium St. Pete Transplant

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

We all know the history: Our once-ubiquitous green benches offered ready perches for retirees’ biding their time in “God’s Waiting Room.” Today, people of all ages fill our streets. Regardless of age, they have this in common. They don’t come here to die; they come here to flourish. Barbara Riddle-Dvorak is a fantastic example of today’s kind of transplant to St. Petersburg.

She’s Living, Not Waiting

Simply finding a time when Barbara could meet and talk proved a challenge. She works four days and at least one night each week at the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center. As the career lab counselor, she helps both GED and ESL students connect with potential jobs or further schooling. Despite being of retirement age, she has no plans to stop any time soon. The work is fulfilling for both counselor and student.

When she’s not at Tomlinson, you might find Barbara at home with her cat Lakey (named after Mirror Lake) or at Banyan Café or Locale Market.

More than likely, she’ll have her laptop, writing short stories, poetry and essays covering a wide range of topics. She recently finished her second novel, Too Many Countries, and has plans for a third. Her passionate commitment to her writing has been a guiding light on the path that led her to St. Petersburg.

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Once here, she threw herself into life in St. Petersburg. She had witnessed the remarkable downtown transformation each time she visited.

It was exciting, but she didn’t want the city’s magic to be completely buried under mindless growth. Full-time residency gave her an opportunity to have a voice on several boards, including that of the Downtown Neighborhood Association. She volunteered as a docent for the Florida Holocaust Museum and taught memoir classes for Keep St Pete Lit. And, of course, she kept writing.

Today, Barbara pours energy into Tomlinson and her writing and enjoys all that downtown St. Petersburg has to offer, from coffee shops, museums and art galleries to happy hours and improvisation acting classes.

St. Petersburg continues to nourish her artistic and progressive soul, and she loves it here. Barbara’s choice to make the Sunshine City her forever home reminds us that it’s not just millennials swelling the area’s ranks. The over-60 crowd is still here. And they too are here to flourish.

For more information on Keep St Pete Lit, see: http://keepstpetelit. org. Barbara’s Greenwich Village memories are available via her blog or her WestView News articles.http://talesfromagreenwichvillagegirlhood. blogspot.com/ http://westviewnews.org/ Barbara’s second book is not yet available. Her first is available as an E-book or in paperback. https://www. amazon.com/Girl-Pretending-Read-Rilke-ebook/

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Local Business

The Bank of Tampa: Invested in Pinellas County. Invested in you.

The Bank of Tampa opened its first office in Pinellas County in 2012. Since that time, there’s been extensive growth for the organization, adding several brick-and-mortar banking offices throughout the county. With $1.6 billion in total assets, the bank is now one of the largest community banks headquartered in the Tampa Bay area, and with a focus on their clients and the community, The Bank of Tampa aims to provide a client experience that is beyond reproach.

“Our bank is privately owned by our employees, board directors and clients,” said Scott Gault, market president, at The Bank of Tampa. “Because all employees are invested in our bank—and we are locally owned and operated—our team of experienced bankers are able to act fast, without bureaucracy, creating an experience that allows for quick, efficient and seamless to the client decision making.”

For The Bank of Tampa, putting down roots in Pinellas just made sense. With both business and residential growth throughout the county, the bank has made efforts to expand strategically, with offices spread throughout Pinellas, while maintaining an active presence in the community.

In May of 2017, The Bank of Tampa opened its second banking office, which is located

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in Largo on the corner of Bryan Dairy and Belcher roads. The 4,200 square foot office offers commercial and personal banking services, a drive-thru ATM, night deposit services and safe deposit boxes. The Central Pinellas office is led by Chuck Catanese, market director.

“Chuck and his team have already done so much to make the Central Pinellas office relevant in the community, and we are looking forward to continuing to grow relationships in the community,” said Gault. “We are now strategically positioned to meet the needs of clients throughout Pinellas County, and we are excited to continue to grow with the Pinellas community.”

In September, The Bank of Tampa held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of the bank’s newest office, which when complete in May, will be located at 900 S. Fort Harrison Ave., in Clearwater. Craig West, a veteran Clearwater banker, who most recently had been a private relationship manager at the St. Petersburg office, was named market director for the new office.

In addition to investing in the communities where it operates from a business standpoint, The Bank of Tampa is also committed to

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investing in its communities as a partner to non-profit organizations. In 2017, The Bank of Tampa donated nearly $750,000 to non-profit organizations throughout the Tampa Bay region.

The bank’s employees donated more than 4,500 hours of volunteer work.

“We are looking to continue to invest in Pinellas County and grow with the community— and the greater Tampa Bay area—for decades to come,” said Gault. “We are devoted in the longterm success of our clients and our employees, and we are willing to make the investments necessary to ensure that we remain Tampa Bay’s hometown bank.”

The Bank of Tampa focuses on offering customized commercial and consumer banking services, along with wealth management solutions strategically developed to fit your individual needs. It offers commercial banking—which includes, commercial real estate, SBA lending, and treasury services—personal banking, wealth management, and trust services—truly making it a full-service community bank.

The Bank of Tampa serves Pinellas, Hillsborough and Sarasota Counties. For more information, please visit thebankoftampa.com, or call Scott Gault at (727) 502-8401.

Bringing Out YOUR Colors We are fortunate to have colorful flowers blooming yearround in Saint Petersburg. Color is everywhere. How does color affect us? In decorating, the color of a room can make it appear bigger or smaller, make us feel warmer or cooler, calmer, or more excited or creative.

Have you found that if you are stressed, angry or just “out of sorts� that a walk on the beach calms you down? BLUE creates that calming effect. The blue water and sky recalls peace and relaxation. Blue is an excellent choice for bedrooms for that reason.

BROWN and GREEN are comforting colors. I often use a wood table in a room to bring a grounding warmth. Green is my favorite color. It relieves tension and evokes growth and relaxation.

RED represents passion and romance. It grabs your attention and stimulates brain activity. Put some red in your office if you need a surge of brain power. Red in the dining room stimulates the conversation as well as the appetite.

YELLOW is sunshine and happiness. Nurseries are often yellow because it is uplifting, warm and adds spark to the imagination and creative process.

ORANGE is vibrancy, fire, autumn. Use orange in your gathering room to encourage socializing and warmth.

Let Us Help Tampa Bay Furnishings Interior Designer, Lydia Mason, would love to talk with you about your design goals for your home.

Visit our showroom located at 3034 9th Street North. Or for more info visit tampabayfurnishings.com or call 727-821-4100.

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Interior Designer Lydia Mason

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NOT FOR PROFIT

Photos by Evan Sigmund

Save Our Strays: The Time is Meow

By Nehemiah Warner

Ten years ago, I found a calico kitten sleeping in a work boot on my porch. Ignorant to the genetic impossibility of a calico cat’s being male, I named her Jim, and the name stuck.

For many stray cats in St. Petersburg, the story isn’t as simple.

Save Our Strays exists to help when things get complicated. For example, just last year, a concerned resident found a tiny kitten dragging its little body through the family’s backyard. Its hind legs were injured; one had to be removed because of infection, and the other had atrophied. Through Save Our Strays and the love of his adoptive mom, Tommy the kitten now can run and play.

Save Our Strays, Inc. (SOS) seeks to make this happy ending a reality for all local strays. The non-profit, all-volunteer, no-kill cat rescue organization, adopted out more than 400 and cared for a whopping 600 cats last year alone, takes a lot of kibble and a lot of heart. It needs the help of all cat lovers in the community.

There are three main ways to help SOS increase its impact in Pinellas County: embrace, engage, and endow.

First, embracing SOS’s mission means to take ownership.

Uncontrolled breeding is a real predicament. Encourage friends and neighbors to spay and neuter roaming strays in your neighborhood. “Trap/Neuter/Release” programs are crucial to minimizing growing stray populations. SOS urges that you advocate locally and at the state level to keep this service affordable as well as adapting stricter control on breeding licenses. Keep cats indoors, away from predators, cars and other threats. Spread the word to potential adopters that SOS not only has a wonderful selection of felines for adoption but also knows them intimately through fostering and can match them with individual families’ unique needs.

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The Law Office of Scott Johni, PA and its staff are proud to support our community. We provide sponsorships and volunteer service to the following organizations that help improve the lives of children, families and veterans in Tampa Bay:

You don't have to have unlimited financial resources to make a difference in the life of one of our cats. For as little as $10 a month you can supply a litter of kittens with formula for a week.

• $25 will feed 5 cats at Cat Haven for a week • $35 will cover one neuter • $45 will cover one spay • $60 will cover an adoption fee changing the life of one cat and one human indefinitely • $100 will cover 20 microchips upon intake Second, engage by volunteering with SOS. Join the more than 50 cat lovers who volunteer at the Cat Haven shelter in Pinellas Park (opportunities to serve are available twice a day, seven days a week), or travel to local pet stores to assist with adoptions on weekends. There are also opportunities throughout the year to help with fundraising events.

What makes SOS stand out is the fostering component. Volunteer as a foster cat parent to house strays in the interim of being matched with a forever family. This fostering time allows SOS to learn about each cat’s idiosyncrasies. Good with kids? Friendly to dogs? Likes to cuddle? Getting to know the cats informs the adoption process and ensures lifelong matches. Furthermore, if you have room in your heart and home, adopt!

There are special opportunities involving older strays.

Finally, endow Save Our Strays with your financial support. Last year, a small kitten was spotted in a Hampton Inn parking lot in Clearwater.

All alone, the kitten appeared to have made a home in the bushes by the entrance. SOS was able to trap the 2-pound kitten and get it veterinary care.

Now handsomely named Hampton, he was adopted by a forever family and no longer runs the daily risk of being hit by a car. All cats in SOS care are tested for diseases, given vaccines, spayed/neutered and microchipped.

These services are provided through donations by caring supporters. Every dollar donated is tax-deductible and saves local cats’ lives.

If the transformation of scared, neglected cats and kittens into loving companions under the care of this kind-hearted organization warms your heart, then commit to be part of the solution. Whether you can educate your community, volunteer, or donate financially, know that you are joining a mission to save the lives of hundreds of felines in Pinellas County; one set of whiskers at a time.

To adopt, volunteer, or make a donation visit saveourstraysinc.com or call (727) 545-1116.

(727) 520-7376 | johnilaw.com 2600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St. N. #300 St. Petersburg, Florida 33704 Hiring a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based upon advertisements alone. Before deciding, ask to receive free written information about our qualifications and experience.

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food n’ drink

Photo by City of St. Petersburg

DTSP on a Dime Food n’ Drink Hacks: Weekend Edition

By Erin Cody Ahoy, fellow deal hawks! Last month, I shared a few fun things to do on the cheap in downtown St. Pete, and promised a day-by-day listing of the best food and drink specials this month. After a bounty of scrumptious research, I concluded that since there are so many great deals out there I’ll hone in on the toughest ones to find, penny pincher’s gold: the weekend deals. Fridays and Saturdays are guaranteed to be busy, but you can still find some killer specials if you know where to look.

TGIF! It’s 5pm and you just got off work. Head straight to Central Ave to hit The Mill. Why start here? Besides being a fantastic restaurant, they offer FREE VALET PARKING to customers, so no need to worry about exhaustive Friday night parking! Just remember to hang on to your receipt.

Once inside, belly up to the bar for $5 schmancy drinks and appetizers ‘til 7pm. Plan on grabbing a small tapas-style plate or two at each location instead of plopping down for a full meal at any one spot. It’s fun to keep it varied and is a great way to explore the area.

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After you finish up, hop a few blocks to the Wooden Rooster, or just around the corner to The Galley. If entertainment is what you’re after, The Galley is the way to go. Help yourself to some live music and a dollar off all drinks until 8pm. If you’re looking for a comfortable, quieter spot for conversation and a bite to eat, the Wooden Rooster is the place. Beer and wine are half-priced from 7pm to close every night of the week!

Oyster Bar is where you want to set up shop. Sit outside for great people-watching, or nab a comfy booth inside. Mojitos, margaritas and moscow mules are $5 all night on Fridays, so go to town! Just remember to check out their money-back deal on Groupon.

I hope you drank enough water on Friday night, otherwise you may be nursing a bit of a hangover come Saturday. Chug some Gatorade, then get thee to Tryst or Thirsty First for some hair-of-the-dog and a big plate of comfort food. If you are in a fancier mood, Tryst will give you half-off a bottle of Moet Champagne ‘til 3pm or an aptly named “Hangover Bloody Mary” ‘til 4pm. There are plenty of healthy and not-so-healthy options, so everyone will be happy.

Looking to hop right back on the party train? Thirsty First is the place for you. Between 10am and 3pm, they will hook you up with $15 bottomless mimosas or $20 bottomless bro-mosas. Yep, “bro-mosas.”

A number of restaurants offer drink specials with brunch on Sunday, but these special spots have them available on Saturdays, as well. Smart cookies.

From here, you have three solid boozy options within walking distance.

Acropolis is always a great pick for drink specials, as they offer 2-for-1 sangria and margaritas all-day, every-day. Margaritas are a particularly good pick for day drinking because tequila is the only liquor that doesn’t make you tired - true story! For a little more local flavor, hit Angelo’s for half-priced beer, wine and wells every Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 10pm. Finally, you have Del Mar Gastro Lounge, which boasts “the longest happy hour in St. Pete,” 11am-7pm every day of the week.

When you are ready for another nosh, hoof it to 400 Beach. They serve up three-course meals for a measly $14.95 every day of the week between the hours of 3pm and 6pm, and their food is seriously good.

If you want to eat a little later, it’s all about Hofbrahaus. You’ll find happy hour food and drink specials aplenty on Friday and Saturday nights from 7pm to close. $5 house wines, well cocktails, and half-liters of Germany’s finest, and numerous snack options. This is a great pick-me-up on a weekend night because of the playful, raucous atmosphere and periodic live music throughout the evening.

Many of these restaurants take reservations, so make sure you check Opentable or your favorite rez app to avoid long waits. Nothing kills your buzz like standing around empty-handed and empty-bellied!

Now go forth, bargain hunting party animals! Eat, drink, be merry, and save some dough! You can afford full, fun weekends in Downtown St. Pete if you plan correctly.

Please remember that your life is priceless, so never hesitate to call a car or a friend if you’ve been boozing it up. You will never regret it. Cheers!

SHOP LOCAL

Movers & Makers

By Tara Britton, co-founder of Market Mafia St. Petersburg plays host to a plethora of makers’ markets. There are so many, in fact, that sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Check in with us monthly to learn more about the St. Pete market scene, find upcoming events and show your local support by shopping small.

With an abundance of outdoor markets throughout our city, St. Pete offers no shortage of opportunity to get outside and shop local. From small, curbside pop-ups to festival-style events garnering weekly crowds of 10,000 visitors, St. Pete has proven that we love a good market.

Lots of them, actually! St. Pete boasts at least nine regularly recurring markets throughout the year, not including those happening along our beaches or even special events popping up sporadically.

It begs the question: why do we have so many local markets? After speaking with the organizers of the St. Pete Indie Market, the Saturday Morning Market and the Night Market St. Pete, the consensus is that it’s a combination of many things, including the personality of our residents, the unique experience of each market, and a national shop-local movement.

Photo by Tara Britton

direct to the consumer, and to garner a following. Per Williams: “The Indie Market has previously been described as an incubator for small business.

Many vendors who start [here] go on to open brick-and-mortars. It’s that initial place where you can test out your products, find your niche and figure out what works.”

Shop Outside the Box Market organizers recognize the sense of community that develops Markets provide visitors with a distinct experience when compared among vendors. Williams said: “Vendors have collaborated with products to shopping in big-box stores. What would normally be a task, suddenly and also use each other as a resource. Sometimes even if it’s just for support, becomes an outing. Plus, market-goers have the ability to engage the makers since being a small business owner is challenging.” of the goods being sold, giving purchases a more personal connection.

Even the food choices offered can add another element of excitement. Too Many Markets?

Mark Johnson, market director and co-founder of the Saturday Morning While it’s great to have options, one might wonder if there is an Market, said that their event offers up to 13 different prepared food options, over-saturation of markets in St. Pete. Do our markets feel like they’re in in addition to locally grown produce and baked goods to take home. Their competition with one another? market features an area for guests to sit, eat and enjoy live entertainment.

According to Johnson, in a word, “No!” They are playing different This is a “huge social piece” of the market’s appeal, according to Johnson. games, and there is truly something for everyone.

Variety is key for the Saturday Morning Market, with 25 percent of their The volume of makers’ markets in our area proves that our residents booth spaces rotating weekly. Discovering the unexpected is something all choose to shop small when given the chance, and our community culture market lovers have come to enjoy. As Johnson said, “The Saturday Morning is one that promotes local. Plus, it seems to be a part of a larger, national Market actually ‘out-festivals’ most festivals!” movement to support small businesses and focus spending in the local Ronnie Lee, the founder of Night Market St. Pete, says that makers’ community. markets are popular here because our city is “all about the local community”.

In a town where something is happening every night, the Night Market St. Let’s Go! The Saturday Morning Market takes place every Saturday, October Pete is a success because, Lee said, “Residents in St. Pete go out and enjoy through May, from 9am-2pm in the Al Lang Field parking lot. The next their city. They are always looking for something new and fun to do.”

Night Market St. Pete happens on March 15, 6pm-10pm at St. Pete Side Lot. Incubator for Small Business St. Pete Indie Market will be at Bandit Coffee Company on March 10, 11amMarkets provide local vendors an opportunity to gain exposure as an 3pm, and at Green Bench Brewery on March 22, 7pm-11pm. emerging brand. Rosey Williams, founder of St. Pete Indie Market, said, Market Mafia is a resource connecting residents and visitors “We see a lot of great business contacts made at the markets.” throughout Greater Tampa Bay with local handcraft markets. Find local Market participation is a great way for makers to promote their goods happenings and #HitTheMarket, visit www.MarketMafia.com.

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HISTORY

From the Museum’s Archives

With St. Petersburg Museum of History Executive Director, Rui Farias St. Louis Cardinals’ Johnny Mize, Enos Slaughter and Pepper Martin survey Waterfront Park during 1939 MLB Spring Training in St. Petersburg. For 94 years, the Sunshine City came alive during the month of March with thousands of visitors, the smell of hot dogs and popcorn, and the sound of Play Ball! The St. Louis Browns started the spring tradition in St. Petersburg in 1914, and it continued through the years with numerous teams, eventually ending when the Tampa Bay Rays moved their Spring Training facility to Port Charlotte. The St. Petersburg Museum of History exhibits the world’s largest collection of autographed baseballs in the Schrader’s Little Cooperstown gallery.

The St. Petersburg Museum of History is located at 335 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. For more information about exhibits, hours, and ticket pricing visit SPMOH.com.

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Pier Construction. Photo by Brian Brakebill.

news

Downtown Developments

By Brian Zucker, Owner of St. Pete Rising

It seems like each time we take a stroll through downtown there are new restaurants and galleries opening and more apartment complexes and condo towers being built. We realize it’s difficult to keep track of everything. Luckily, we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.

Each month we will feature a few of the most exciting new downtown developments that are on the horizon for the Sunshine City.

Construction on the new St. Pete Pier continues to make great progress. According to the city, “Over 68% of the pilings have been placed, 20,000 square feet of the deck has been poured and work has begun on the tilted lawn and new bulkhead areas around Spa Beach.”

In January, plans to erect a monument on the new pier were announced, celebrating the birth of commercial aviation and Tony Jannus, the pilot who took off from St. Petersburg’s Central Yacht Basin to downtown Tampa on New Year’s Day 1914.

Paul’s Landing, a new restaurant at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort, opened last month to the public. The 220-seat casual eatery has a gorgeous tropical interior filled with pinks, oranges, and greens. Grab a seat outside and enjoy sweeping views of the resort’s pool deck and the Vinoy Marina. A Florida-inspired menu focuses on three main categories — citrus, seafood and smoked. If you’re a beer connoisseur, 3 Daughters Brewery has crafted a beer exclusively for Paul’s Landing, a refreshing orange wheat ale. The restaurant can be difficult

to locate, but look for a staircase off of 5th Avenue North that will lead you to the entrance.

The owners of La V Vietnamese Fusion have opened up a new restaurant at 437 Central Ave — Asie (pronounced ah-zee) featuring Pan-Asian cuisine. The menu is expansive, even offering photos of each menu item. Don’t miss the Velvety Shrimp (similar to Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp), the Broiled Beef Lunch Special, or any of their sushi rolls. Also, don’t sleep on their craft cocktails! Asie offers 6 Asianinspired cocktails include the Beijing Collins, Seoul Sunrise, and a Tokyo Old Fashioned.

When you visit, sit at the bar and you may get to experience “Gong Hour” — a free shot of sake if the bartender hits the gong!

The Simple Greek opened their doors last month at 312 3rd Street South, on the ground level of the Camden Pier District (formerly AER Apartments). Think of The Simple Greek as Chipotle, but for greek food. Customers choose either a pita or a bowl and then select their choice of meat and fillings. The Simple Greek offers gyro, chicken and steak and an expansive

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selection of toppings, such as feta cheese, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and more. Don’t forget a slice of baklava for dessert!

Next door to The Simple Greek, buildout will soon begin on Bento: Asian Kitchen + Sushi.

A new apartment community has been proposed for 1701 Central Avenue. The project is being developed by NRP Group, who recently built two other apartment towers in Downtown St. Pete — Beacon 430 and Avanti (move-ins begin this April). The development will consist of 243-unit upscale multifamily apartments with approximately 5,000 square feet of commercial space. Community amenities will include a package concierge, relaxation courtyard, fitness room, work from home conference pods, pet grooming room, bike storage, electric car charging stations, saltwater pool, outdoor grills and TVs on the pool deck. Construction is slated to begin the first half of 2018.

St. Pete Rising is an urban development blog covering future retail, restaurants, and real estate in Downtown St. Petersburg, FL. Stay up-to-date, visit StPeteRising.com.

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Events

Photo by City of St. Petersburg.

Women’s Chamber of Commerce Annual Fundraiser

2018 Historic Kenwood Spring Artists Studio Tour

When: Thursday, March 15 11am - 1:30pm Where: The Club at Treasure Island, 400 Treasure island Causeway, 33706 Cost: $50 per person Event proceeds will benefit St. Anthony’s Mammogram Voucher Program and the Day Star Life Center.

Guests will also enjoy boutique shopping and a silent auction. Please RSVP to Taylor Montgomery at taylor.montgomery3@gmail.com. For more info, visit www.wccstpete.com.

When: Saturday, March 17 10am 5pm; and Sunday, March 18th 12pm - 5pm Where: Artist Enclave of Historic Kenwood, 33713 Cost: FREE In this city-designated artist enclave, you will find sculptors, painters, photographers, potters, jewelry makers and more, all creating stunning pieces of art. To download a map visit kenwoodartistenclave.org.

For more information, please contact charcrib@gmail.com.

St. Petersburg Shakespeare Festival

MLKBD Relaunch Party

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When: Thursday, March 15 Sunday, March 25th at 8pm Where: Williams Park, 350 2nd Ave N, 33701 Cost: Suggested Donation $10 Conceived by USF St. Petersburg Alumna, Veronica Matthews, St. Petersburg Shakespeare Festival has made substantial changes this year and is excited to present their second play in Williams Park. For more info, visit www.stpeteshakesfest.org. th

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When: Tuesday, March 27th 6pm - 8pm Where: NOVA 535, 535 Dr MLK Jr St N, 33701 Cost: FREE Enjoy appetizers, an open bar, and getting to know the members of the MLK Business District. A great opportunity to learn more about the group and benefits of membership! For more info, visit mlkbusinessdistrict.com.

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / MARCH 2018

Clothes Matter Annual Fundraiser

When: Thursday, April 5th 12pm - 1pm Where: The Coliseum, 535 4th Avenue North, 33701 Cost: $50 Individual Ticket (provides a week worth of school clothes) Table sponsorship begins at $500 This year’s luncheon theme is “The Power of the Purple Coat”.

Clothes To Kids provides a week’s worth of school clothes to kids who qualify for free or reduced priced lunch, all free of charge. For more info, visit www.clothestokids.org.

Open Water Swim to Fight Cancer

When: Saturday, April 14th Where: 901 N Shore Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Cost: Donate or Volunteer In celebration of its 7th year, the Swim Across America Tampa Bay open water swim will take place at North Shore Park. All Local Proceeds Support Moffitt Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins. For more info, visit swimacrossamerica.org/tampabay.

9th Annual Country Western Luau

When: Saturday, April 7th 6pm - 10pm Where: The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 14, 1520 4th St N, 33704 Cost: $12.00 Advance / $15.00 Door Mix and match cowboy boots, hats and tropical attire for this dinner/ dance with live music, a buffet dinner, door prizes, 50/50 and more.

Proceeds benefit the Baby Milk fund at All Children’s Hospital. For more info, call (727) 894-7320.

3D-Face cast candle holder by Becky Jamin on display at this years 2018 Historic Kenwood Spring Artists Studio Tour.

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