Green Bench Monthly - Vol 2, Issue 6, June 2017

Vol. 2, Issue 6, June 2017

St. Pete’s Direct-Mail Community Magazine

Find Your Flow With The Body Electric Yoga Company pg. 14

Your Neighborhood Realtors

The Platinum Group pg. 8

A Connection to Old Florida

Boyd Hill pg. 6

Illuminating Hope

Leadership St Pete pg. 10

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Publishers

Ashley & Tony Sica

Editors

Cristina Juska Nadine Maas Pam Sica

Contributors

Nicole Brand Luke Cross Rui Farias Jadyn Gonzales Barbara Lewis Cindy Garza Ontkos Jack Spinrad Alan Venable Nehemiah Warner Brian Zucker

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From the Bench

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Boyd Hill Nature Preserve A Connection to Old Florida

Platinum Group, Body Electric, and Pilon Injury Law by

Kelly Nash Photography

Events and Boyd Hill Courtesy

Contact

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

Proud member of:

Find Your Flow With The Body Electric Yoga Company

16 From the Museum’s Archives

Photo Credits

City of St. Petersburg

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Your Neighborhood Realtors Meet Smith & Associates Platinum Group

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Illuminating Hope Leadership St Pete Class of 2017

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Comic Strip Debut From the Zany Erik Jasek

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Caring for Clients and the Community

Pilon Injury Law

St. Pete Museum of History With Executive Director, Rui Farias

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Downtown Developments

By Brian Zucker, Owner of St. Pete Rising

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Community Events

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A Community of Children Alfred Adler Charter School

Direct-mailed to 15,500 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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What the Penny Has Done For You The Penny for Pinellas tax is a one percent sales tax paid by everyone, including visitors, who spend money on non-tax exempt items in the county. The Penny has been in existence since 1990.

Pinellas County voters will be asked to consider extending the Penny for Pinellas tax when they go to the polls on November 7, 2017.

St. Petersburg uses Penny for Pinellas resources to fund capital improvements to the city’s infrastructure. The Penny allows St. Petersburg to fund these improvements without having to use other funding sources, such as revenue bonds or property taxes.

The city has also leveraged Penny for Pinellas resources to secure additional grant funding to maximize the impact of the Penny.

The Penny has allowed St. Petersburg to make infrastructure investments, including: • resurfacing 2,391 city street lane miles • rebuilding 10 bridges and reconstructing seawalls • 15 major storm drainage projects • building a new Police Headquarters facility and purchasing 79 new police cruisers • building a new Fossil Park Fire Station #7 • acquiring new Fire Rescue vehicles: eight engines, two ladder trucks and a squad support vehicle • renovating eight city recreation centers • major improvements to city pools • renovations to Jamestown, the city’s affordable housing complex • roof and HVAC replacements in city facilities • installing traffic calming features Get information or schedule a speaker at stpete.org/penny.

Budget and Management City Hall, First Floor, St. Petersburg, FL 727-893-7436

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From the Bench Show Your Love

LGBT Pride Month is happening now! Which means there’s a lot to celebrate. Whether you identify as L, G, B, T or an ally; this is a time for parades, remembrance, love, and support. St. Pete Pride is the first event in Florida to include a TransPride March in its parade this year. Steps like this, to make communities more inclusive, are what the world needs right now. We hope to see you at the parade dancing, singing—doing whatever makes your heart happy. Above all, show your love.

Visit stpetepride.com for more information.

Photo courtesy of City of St. Petersburg

Send More Snail Mail

It takes intention to slow down, find a card, write a note, buy a stamp, and locate the nearest mailbox. You may do this for Birthdays, Baby Showers, or other special occasions, but when was the last time you wrote a letter just to say Hi or let someone know you were thinking of them? Ah, it’s ok.

Me too (If you’re shaking you’re head - nice work!). Recently, rummaging through a keepsake box full of notes from a childhood pen pal, I was reminded of the importance of writing. So this summer I’m aiming to send more letters. Not only does it bring more thoughtfulness to your day, it gives the lucky recipient something to touch, maybe put on display or place in a special trove to reminisce years later… Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note! This idea was reinforced by the new sign at Strands of Sunshine, “Send More Snail Mail”. Yes!—send more snail mail. So consider ditching your keyboard, just for a minute, and light up someone’s day by sending them a card. Better yet, send a locally crafted card! To help the cause, our friends at Strands of Sunshine are offering Green Bench Monthly readers $5 off when you buy any 5 cards. The best part is they have one for just about *every* occasion. Make sure to say Hi and tell them we sent you!

ou when y f f o 5 $ rds y 5 ca buy an

Keep Laughing

New this month—we’ve got comics! From the zany imagination of local cartoonist, Erik Jasek. Check out his debut strip on pg. 11.

Unscripted Theatre Is Now Spitfire Theatre: New name, same great improv comedy theatre. Featuring live performances Wednesday through Saturday and killer drink specials. See pg. 4 for $5 off tickets.

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Till next time,

633 Central Ave | (727) 823-2878 www.strandsofsunshine.com

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Boyd Hill Nature Preserve: A Connection to Old Florida

By Nehemiah Warner

You may have a hard time remembering you are still in St. Petersburg. Smack dab in the middle of the city, nestled along the western shores of Lake Maggiore is a remnant of Florida’s natural terrain. Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is 245 acres of protected land that serves as a vibrantly diverse “Central Park” to our great Sunshine City. Standing on the boardwalk, facing the lake, adolescent alligators sunbathe in the foreground, while the Trop and the St. Petersburg skyline peak over the trees in the distance.

It’s a surreal feeling, but also calming and only fitting that such a colorful city would have such unique park as its centerpiece.

Once called Lake Maggiore Park, the preserve was renamed after Boyd H. Hill in 1958. Hill was a St. Petersburg park superintendent with a vision of a nature trail that balanced the city, a place that could be a perpetual postcard to the lush, wild Florida of old.

Like many, I had no idea what was hiding in Boyd Hill Nature Preserve until I mustered the effort to finally quench my curiosity and make a visit. My wife and I packed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for ourselves and our toddler, and plenty of water bottles, and headed south down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The Environmental Center greets guests with educational exhibits, including the award-winning The Ripple Effect: Understanding Nature’s Connections, which prepares you for the flora and fauna you will see in the five distinct ecospheres in the park: Swamp Woodlands, Willow Marsh, Lake Maggiore Island, Pine Flatwoods and the Sand Scrub Trail. We grabbed a park map and hit the roughly 6 miles of interconnected trails.

Our first stop on our trek was the Bird of Prey Aviary.

Nineteen injured feathered friends,including a bald eagle, hawks, owls and even vultures, rested and rehabilitated in their spacious enclosure under the shade of large oak trees. In the dappled sunlight you could see the tram pavilion, where daily trips are provided for guests who would like to move at a quicker pace. We had the stroller in tow and planned to navigate the trails on foot.

We started walking east on the main trail toward the Swamp Woodlands. A boardwalk ran along a creek that curls this way and that under the shade of red maples, bay and sugarberry trees. We scanned the forest floor for a large box turtle and ducked under spider webs. All the dangers of Old Florida were alive and well in this adventurous landscape.

Before getting to the next boardwalk, on the left side of the main trail was a gray stone bridge, which seemed to lead to a magical land. Recent controlled burns had left tall pines completely blackened and bare, which were quite striking against a bright blue sunny sky. This spot was instantly a family favorite.

We ate sandwiches sitting on the mystical bridge.

Next on our hike was the Willow Marsh boardwalk portion of the trail, which is further north along the coast of the lake.

Fiery orange viceroy butterflies flit above lizard-tail ferns. Tall leather ferns loomed over the boardwalk, and the mucky mud bubbled a prehistoric breath. In the distance my young son pointed a chubby finger at a roseate spoonbill treading through

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Armadillo Sculpture by Paul Eppling the marsh. We couldn’t help but to expect a roaming dinosaur to crawl out of the history books in this setting. American alligators took the cue.

We made a quick jaunt out to Lake Maggiore Island. It is a tiny island in the greater lake. A clearing shaded by live oaks provided a panoramic view of the sparkling lake. Black and white anhinga stood like statues drying their fanned wings. The grace of their curved necks in the pause of their pose felt like they were in a peaceful prayer.

We cut past the Pine Flatwoods that continued down the coast and aimed straight for Wax Myrtle Pond. The pond was flanked by two larger-than-life armadillo sculptures, made of silver bumpers, old gears and other scrap metal. These keepers of the pond were created by the genius local artist Paul Eppling, who passed away in December. We took pictures with the bigger of the two armadillos, and I thought of how Eppling would live on in these memorable moments.

Finally on our tour was the Sand Scrub Trail. Getting deeper inland the terrain changes drastically. Lush, broad-leaved forest turns to spare, low turkey oaks, wiregrass and pops of purple wildflowers. At this point on the trail, our toddler’s cheeks are flush red and we are wiping the sweat from our brow. Thankfully there were shaded pavilions replete with water coolers for a much-needed refueling.

With the sun hanging lower in the sky, we were in the center of the park, planning to call it a day. I carted a tired toddler to the car and let the peaceful respite sink deep.

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is located at 1101 Country Club Way South in St. Petersburg. For more information, including hours of operation and cost of admission, please visit http:// www.stpeteparksrec.org/boyd-hill-nature-preserve.html.

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Contributor Nehemiah Warner with his son, Mako, and a friend.

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Photo by Kelly Nash Photography

Meet Smith & Associates Platinum Group: Your Neighborhood Realtors

by Cindy Garza Ontkos

Connie Lancaster and Cynthia Serra, have been friends for forty years.

Nearly 20 years ago, they decided to bring together their love of this city and knowledge of the area to serve the citizens of this one-of-a-kind community and are now two of the top Realtors in St. Petersburg, “We were here before the city went through its recent renaissance”.

“Florida is nice, but I really LOVE St. Petersburg!” said Connie, who, has lived in The Historic Old NE neighborhood with her partner, Annie, for 25 years. Originally from SC, she previously was in the high-end European automobile business for 20 years. Her love of investing in Real Estate made it

an easy transition when that industry changed.

Cynthia, also a resident of the OLD NE has a Master’s in Education and was a teacher and coach for many years before moving to St. Pete from SC. Her parents had moved to the states from Peru when she was a child and eventually Florida. After she has had the pleasure of showing buyers from out of the area around the city, her favorite sentiment to convey is “And we live here!”

Joining Connie and Cynthia in the Platinum Group are three more topnotch Realtors: Olympia (Pia) Hiotis, Dan Casper and Carolyn Robinson.

Pia, who is Greek and hails from

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Ohio, loves all of the art and culture that St. Petersburg has to offer. She spends a lot of her time enjoying the walkability of the city, kickboxing and playing with her two dogs, Zoe and Lola. She and her partner of 30 years left Columbus OH to be near family after she sold her business.

Dan, originally from Chicago, comes to town with 23 years of design experience, #bonus! He and his partner, Louis, fell in love with the diversity and inclusiveness of the community, the daily sunshine and the tasty foodie lifestyle. Dan truly enjoys helping firsttime home buyers navigate through the home-buying process, and seeing their dreams become reality.

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Carolyn grew up in West Virginia, where she obtained her real estate license in 1986. After visiting her brother in Tierra Verde several times, she just knew this is where she wanted to live. So in 2001, she packed her bags moved to the Sunshine City. “St. Petersburg is a melting pot. People from all over the world come to live here. It has such a friendly atmosphere,” Carolyn said.

Helping clients make their dream of home ownership a reality is what makes it all worthwhile for this group.

As a consensus, they adore all the hidden treasures of St. Petersburg. Each area has a distinct personality and pride of ownership. Little-known neighborhoods such as Tropical Shores, Pink Streets, Old Southeast, South Pinellas Point and Bahama Shores are just a few of the gems they can help you find. Pinellas County is hot!

“St. Petersburg is so much more than the downtown,” Dan said. “And, no matter where you live, you are only five miles from the beach,” added Connie.

Connie and Cynthia reminisce about St. Pete before it became all that it is today. They attribute the start of the positive changes to the grassroots push and renovation of the Vinoy Hotel back in the 1991. Since then, the whole area has grown by leaps and bounds, and is on the radar. “This is definitely the place everyone wants to live, we are a global destination now. We have been discovered” Connie said.

“Right now, it’s a sellers’ market, but there is still no better place or no better time to buy,” Cynthia said. Real estate is a “connections” business. Our company Smith and Associates sells more of its properties than any other agency because we network as a real team and have affiliates nationwide and throughout the world! “We have the inside scoop on many properties before they hit the market!”

This amazing group promises to guide their clients every step of the way from high end cash buyers to first time home buyers, who have to be pre-approved before you start the home search. They are not only willing, but hoping to help walk you through the entire process.

Pia said, “Even if we hit some areas of trouble, there is always a solution. We have resources and partner with a team of professionals that enable our clients to get to the closing table!” This group thrives on repeat customers and referrals; their goal is to be your realtors for life!

Who better to assist you than a Real Estate group who knows this city from east to west and everywhere in between?

Smith & Associates Platinum Group are standing by and ready to help you sell your home and/or find a new one.

For more information about buying or selling your home, contact Pia Hiotis @ 614-561-5996 or email ohiotis@smithandassociates.com. Dan Casper @ 773-965-6465 or dcasper@smithandassociates.com.

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Back to Front, Left to Right - Tee Grizzard, Mike Funsch Janette Dean, Wade Milligan Paul Stellrecht, Cathi Cardwell, Shaun Amarnani, Jonathan Bowman, Sarah Colby, Danielle Weitlauf, Jake Howse, Ashby Green, Michelle Royal, Delphinia Davis, Allyson Crawford, Audrey Grounds, Chris Scronce, Jim McEleney, Tyler Hayden, Mike Ostrowski, Martin Knaust, Jamelle Conner, Anna Ruth, Curtis Holloman, Ben Blackman, Bob Skelton, Ali Reeder, Ashley Ryneska, Andi Gordon, Caroline Dunkle, Shannon Sloan, Patti Helton.

Leadership St Pete 2017: Illuminating Hope Typically, it would be a challenge to organize such a diverse group of community leaders. But for Leadership St. Pete® (LSP) Class of 2017, the task seemed effortless. As class member and LSP Fundraising Chair Ashley Ryneska put it, “it’s simply a group of good people wanting to do good for this community”.

A division of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber and its affiliated 501(c) (3) Foundation, LSP is the second oldest leadership program in the country. Each year, the organization hand-selects local applicants to participate in a six-month program devised to promote and enhance community leadership.

This year the class dedicated its efforts to the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club.

Built in Midtown in 1948, the theater first served as an African-American arts entertainment center. In 1976 it was donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast. Since then, it has been utilized to provide before and after-school care to local at-risk youth. Leadership St. Pete identified a unique opportunity to enhance the existing space, creating the foundation

for expanded programming specifically in arts. The newly renovated space would be designed to support a variety of enrichment programs including ballet & tap classes, comedy classes, painting classes, recording arts, and photography.

Classmate and LSP Project Manager Chris Scronce explains, “We felt that the difference we made here would inspire others to do the same, and continue their investment in the revitalization of Midtown St. Pete.”

With a cause in mind, they needed funds to set their plans in motion. First, the class set an initial target fundraising, but with some savvy efforts and strong community support they raised nearly double what they had planned, including cash and in-kind support.

Following just a few months of fundraising and two prep days, the class met on May 20th to collectively invest their own ‘sweat equity’ to complete the project.

The full refurbishment effort included a new marquee sign, interior and exterior paint, new furniture and storage solutions, and exterior fencing to now enable safe,

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accessible outdoor activity. After a long day’s work, the group successfully and lovingly restored a long-time symbol of community transformation.

While the cosmetic refurbishments have been long overdue, Ryneska was quick to assert that the electrical upgrades were the most symbolic, with newly restored lighting now cascading down the formerly dimly-lit street, sending a powerful message to local youth and families. “It’s a daily reminder that we stand with them, and that we believe in them,” she said. “They are the hope for St. Petersburg’s bright future.”

The LSP program is made possible through the generous support of community partners like Duke Energy, Eckerd Leadership Development Institute and Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College, Patron Sponsors of the Class of 2017.

For more information about Leadership St. Pete®, visit www.stpete. com/lsp.

For more information about Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club, visit www. bgcsun.org.

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by Erik Jasek Erik Jasek is a local cartoonist and illustrator. From a very young age he has been drawing comics and making films inspired by animated cartoons, sketch comedy and science fiction films. He hasn’t changed much to this day in that regard.

Erik has immense love for the city of St. Petersburg as the city’s fruitful music and art scene is a huge motivator for his work. Erik can be often spotted downtown vending comics at festivals, painting for art shows or just having a good time.

If you would like to contact Erik by email: jurassicjasek@gmail.com.

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Photos by Kelly Nash Photography

Pilon Injury Law: Caring for Clients and the Community

Local Roots and a Lot of Experience

Both Carrie and Chad bring a rich background in injury cases to their clients.

Chad has worked with the injured in the legal field for almost 20 years now. He spent years representing families who had lost loved ones or

by Alan Venable who had seen them suffer in nursing homes, assisted living Chad and Carrie Pilon are experienced lawyers who facilities or at the hands of bring their profuse experience in injury law to benefit their doctors or nurses. Chad the St. Petersburg area. They’re on a mission to spread earned his Master’s Degree at community, to inspire others to give back and to fight for Florida State University (FSU) people who can’t fight for themselves. in Tallahassee, and continued Pilon Injury Law provides a hands-on, individualized his education at Stetson approach to their clients, many of whom may very well University College of Law in Gulfport. “For the past 14 be going through the toughest time of their lives. The Pilons, Chad and Carrie, are responsible, experienced and years, I have had the benefit and honor to only represent determined to curb the bad rep personal injury lawyers those who have been injured get. “We want to portray the image of what we feel our profession should be: good things in the community and because of the negligence and fault of others,” Chad said. helping people,” Carrie said.

Carrie is a secondA married couple, the Pilons do not spend all their generation Floridian and time churning cases, either. They divide time between a native of St. Petersburg. their firm, their family and the local community. They Carrie also attended FSU and run Girl Scout Brownies meetings and voluntarily coach earned both her Bachelor’s youth sports teams, in addition to tutoring with Lawyers and Master’s degrees in for Literacy. They are customer-service oriented lawyers; Tallahassee. She knew she wanted to practice law in lawyers who genuinely care.

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her local community, and so Carrie came back to St. Pete to study law at Stetson. There, she “valued the opportunity to compete on the Advocacy Board, was a legal Research Assistant, was chosen as a Student Ambassador, and was a certified legal intern with the State Attorney’s Office, Sixth Judicial Circuit.”

They have absorbed best practices from years of experience and bring the critical skills they’ve earned to their firm. “We recognize this is one of the biggest ordeals of [our clients’] lives.

It’s incredibly important that they get the attention they deserve,” Chad said.

The Pilons in the Community

Beyond the great work they do in their firm, Chad and Carrie are focused on giving back to the St. Pete community. They’re actively involved in the Exchange Club of St. Petersburg, whose mission is to inspire communities to become better places to live. They 12

volunteer in Pinellas County schools and coach sports, like soccer and the Northeast Little League. Community involvement is especially important to the Pilons because it demonstrates to their children the importance of giving back.

Chad and Carrie have two daughters who already make efforts to give back to the local community. In fifth and second grades, their daughters are actively involved in their schools and ingrained in the community.

“Our proudest points are when they come to us with ideas on how they can help,” Carrie said. From forfeiting birthday presents in order to raise more than $400 for the SPCA to getting a local book exchange started in St. Pete, their daughters already reflect the generosity and community involvement demonstrated by Chad and Carrie.

to make positive changes whenever they get a chance.

The Pilons’ advice to the community is: “If you see a way that something can improve, reach out and get involved. That’s the only way things get done.”

St. Petersburg is full of opportunities for the community to support its residents, and vice versa.

Take a leaf from the Pilons’ book and see how you can get involved in the community today!

The Pilon Injury Law Office is located at 3637 4th Street N., Ste. 350, St. Petersburg, FL 33704. For more information, call (727) 800-5206 or visit piloninjurylaw.com

Positive Change Starts With You

Chad and Carrie exemplify what it is to treat clients and community with equal respect, and work

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Find Your Flow With The Body Electric Yoga Company

By Nicole Brand

R to L: Owners, Katelyn Grady and Jenny Miller. Photos

by Kelly Nash Photography

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Walking into The Body Electric (informally known as The BE) studio for the first time, I remember feeling a sense of relief. I was nervous about coming back to a yoga practice after being out of the game for so long, so I thought: “Hey! I’ll bring a friend!”

The studio itself is architecturally compelling, with modern adaptations made to the remnants of an old ice factory. The smell of clean wood, the brick walls, the full but friendly room— all of it set me at ease. My friend was dipping her toe into yoga for the first time, so we found a spot in the back of the room and got ready to find our own bodies and get our sweat on in Hot Enough Flow with instructor, Lisa Knaffla.

While the space itself is the work of yoga design genius, owners Jenny Miller and Katelyn Grady posit that the true gems of the studio are the teachers. Katelyn and Jenny are fiercely proud of the teachers who nurture and inspire The BE community.

They expect amazing

work from their teachers, and that’s what they get—a family of teachers committed to making yoga approachable for every physical body that wishes to start a practice with them. As Katelyn puts it, she wants the teachers to feel free to be themselves, and there’s a palpable trickle-down effect.

The convivial space they’ve created has organically sparked some interesting pairings. They offer resources, events and programs the standard yoga studio doesn’t. Take their Foam Roller Mobility and Movement class, taught by a chiropractor, Dr. Lance Robbins. The class focuses on the innovative use of foam rollers to increase access and movement within one’s own body. It’s a tool he regularly uses as a chiropractor, so the foam-rolling class serves as both an additional selfcare tool and a way to make an otherwise expensive healthcare service more affordable in a group setting.

Speaking of innovation and self-care, The BE teacher Dani Mae teamed up with

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Every Saturday at 8:30am join BE for yoga poolside at The Hollander counselor Ashley Sweet several months ago to create a multisensory, interdisciplinary fusion class for victims of sexual assault. The series— part narrative writing, part meditation, part counseling, part yoga—is now in its second iteration, and though many have found healing through the series, several have also fostered friendships that extend beyond the walls of The Body Electric proper. Classes like these are integral to Jenny and Katelyn’s vision. The series wouldn’t have come together had they not met Ashley Sweet at a Bloom Art Center (now Bloom Collective) event that The BE partnered in.

The Body Electric is constantly energizing itself by stretching (pun intended) outside of the magical confines of the studio and into the nooks and crannies of St. Pete.

Katelyn notes they reject the notion of being an “insular community”. They are a part of the fabric of the St. Pete small business community, and they collaborate and partner whenever it feels like a good fit. Jenny describes this as an “economy of energy”. Small businesses learn, create, build and thrive on one another’s’ experiences.

For The BE, what potentially elevates one has

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the potential to elevate all, and that’s why tapping in (pun also intended) outside of the studio proper is paramount. The Body Electric has partnered with several St. Pete breweries in their Yoga On Tap classes, where the yoga flow is followed by the flow of beer on tap.

This unconventional pairing serves as an effective way to spread the word about The Body Electric, while bringing in visitors to breweries during what might otherwise be a slow time of the day.

The BE gets outside of the studio on many other occasions, too. Join them at Sunset Beach every Friday and Sunday at 10:30am for paddle board yoga. It’s a $15 bringyour-own-board party or you can rent one for $25! For even more weekend fun, wake up and head to The Hollander for an 8:30am yoga session by the pool. The price depends on membership and registration time, and after yoga, you can stay around for a dip in the pool and grab some brunch.

The possibilities are refreshing and endless with the great minds behind The BE. The Body Electric is located at 685 30th Avenue North. For more information about the studio, teachers or class schedule, visit thebodyelectricyoga.com.

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From the Museum’s Archives

In 1887, John C. Williams convinced Russian entrepreneur Peter Demens to forget about expanding his Orange Belt Railroad to Disston City (now Gulfport), and lay the tracks to the eastern side of the Pinellas peninsula on the shore of Tampa Bay. On June 8, 1888, the “Mattie” pulled into a town commonly known as Wardsvillle, but soon to be

renamed after Demens’ birthplace - St. Petersburg. Only one passenger stepped off the train that day, a shoe salesman from Savannah. But both Demens and Williams had faith in the potential of the little town, and Demens fulfilled his promise to build a grand hotel​​ named after the Michigan hometown of Williams. In the background of the

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by Executive Director, Rui Farias

photograph, you can see the Detroit Hotel that still stands today.

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 or call (727) 894-1052.

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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.

An 11-story apartment tower was recently proposed for the corner of 16th Street and 1st Avenue North, currently home to a small car wash and a large piece of vacant land. First North Lofts will include 18,500 square feet of ground-level retail space to be populated with tenants that will benefit residents, such as co-working spaces and cafes. Of the 214 total residential units, over half will be 445- to 505-square-foot studios priced at under $1,000.

A 280-space parking garage will also be built.

Construction will begin in the first quarter of 2018, and move-ins are expected in the summer of 2019.

Sweet Charlie’s, a hand-rolled ice cream shop, has started the buildout process at 1010 Central Avenue, #102, in the EDGE District.

The rolled ice cream trend began last year in larger cities, such as New York and Boston, and has since made its way to St. Pete. Ice cream is made to order on a cold surface, where ingredients are chopped and mixed into the ice cream before being rolled up and placed into a cup. Sweet Charlie’s is known for the Tall Charley, rolled ice cream in between a glazed donut bun. Expected opening date is end of this summer.

The Crafty Squirrel: Pizzeria + Taphouse will be replacing Fortunato’s Italian Market, located at 259 Central Avenue. The new pizza bar will offer a twist on traditional pizza— individual-sized pies with exotic ingredients, such as slow-cooked Moroccan lamb with sweet potatoes, arugula and tzatziki. The pizza oven will also be used to cook items like vegetable lasagna, oven-baked wings and braised ribs. Over 35 beers will be available

on tap, with a focus on locally made brews.

A complete renovation will help to make the space much more social by including 70 feet of bar space and communal tables. Construction will begin in the next few months. The Crafty Squirrel is expected to open this winter.

Last month, USF St. Pete announced plans to construct a new ten-story student housing complex. Located at the corner of 5th Avenue South and 3rd Street South, the tower will double the amount of on-campus housing by adding an additional 550 beds. A dining hall will be situated on the first floor. The project is still pending state approval, but once approved has a construction timeline of 20 months.

University officials hope to start moving in students by August 2019.

New Mexican cuisine is coming soon to the Grand Central District courtesy of NuMex. Dishes will center around the New Mexican Hatch chile, which is colored either red or green depending on ripeness. A mural by Sarah Sheppard was recently painted on the exterior of the building and bundles of red chiles, known as ristras, will adorn the interior of the restaurant. Look for menu items such as blue corn pancakes and green chile cheeseburgers when NuMex opens at 2710 Central Avenue this July.

An eight-unit townhome community, The Sabal, recently broke ground at 532 4th Avenue South. Each four-floor unit will have three bedrooms, options for two or three full baths, two half baths and a one-car garage.

Additionally, each home will be built with smartcapable technology from Sonos, Nest, Lutron, Alarm.com and more. Pricing begins at $680,000.

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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JUNE 2017 /

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM

2017 City Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration

When: Tuesday, July 4th, 5pm-9pm Where: Vinoy and North Straub Park Cost: Free Celebrate independence with a free festive fireworks celebration on the waterfront with live music, kids’ games and activities, face painting, food trucks and more. Fireworks start at 9 pm (weather permitting) but may start as early as 8:30 pm or as late as 10 pm (depending on weather).

For more information, visit www.stpeteparksrec.org/events.html

just $25 ($36 value), your ticket includes a discounted seat in the lower level and $5 from each ticket donated back to The Florida Holocaust Museum.

Tickets are limited! For more information or to place your ticket order, please call 727.820.0100 ext. 301.

The 29th Annual Cool Art Show

Musicians Jake Kents and Eena Christopher Photo by Kelly Nash

The Florida Holocaust Museum’s “Rays Up Night”

When: July 6 at 7:10 pm Where: Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Drive Cost: $25 The Florida Holocaust Museum and the Tampa Bay Rays invite the community to come to Tropicana Field in support of the Museum when the Rays take on the Boston Red Sox! For

Music Open Mic Night @ Black Crow Coffee

When: Saturday, July 15th Where: Black Crow Coffee, 722 2nd St N Every third Saturday join in to play a few tunes or listen along. In house piano, guitar and PA system available. Share an original or perform a cover! Enjoy music, coffee, pastries, and a great community.

For more information, visit facebook.com/blackcrowcoffeeco/events/

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / JUNE 2017

When: Saturday, July 15th and Sunday, July 16th Where: The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave N Cost: Free Admission and Parking Over 75 outstanding artisans have been selected to exhibit a remarkable collection of visual and functional creations in paint, wood, ceramics, photography, metal, glass, fiber, mixed media and jewelry.

For more information, visit pava-artists.org

Deadline for Voter Registration: Primary Election When: Monday, July 31st Voter registration applications are available at any Supervisor of Elections office, public library, tax collector office, government office handling social services or online at VotePinellas.com.

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A Community of Children Alfred Adler Charter School It’s 8:00 AM Monday morning and something special is happening on 38th Ave. North.

Car doors close, hands wave goodbye, and a small parade of children funnel into a place that is special to them.

It’s a school, but unlike any you remember or most likely attended.

This is Alfred Adler Charter School, and this morning there is something missing; the dread of Monday morning, the stress of unneeded expectations, of bullying, of all the things we thought were part and parcel of “school” as we knew it.

In it’s place, there is happiness, respect, and an eagerness to learn and to participate in a community. A community where the children a respected not only by their teachers but by their fellow students.

Understand this is no “free-forall”. This is a place governed by strict democracy.

Where “Agreements” (as they are called) are law, and respect is given but also expected in return.

Personal responsibility is the primary lesson and failure to perform is not met by

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verbal threats but by natural consequences.

This morning happens to be the day of the Science Fair. Most are excited to show their work to their fellow students and the visiting parents. However for those who chose not to participate, they will feel the exclusion that is the natural result of their decisions and will be encouraged by their friends and teachers to do better next time; a result that is almost guaranteed.

None will receive a grade, not an “A” or an “F”; this place doesn’t work that way.

Progress is tracked by their teachers and by periodic testing, but the student is never labeled by a letter grade or as “gifted”.

Each classroom is a village with every student having a job (which they take very seriously). Each ‘Pet Monitor’, ‘Line Leader’, and ‘Whiteboard Cleaner’ has immense pride in their work and understands that their contribution is important to the whole.

They work hard all day and with the close of the school day, they exit into the world. Some go to after-care, some to karate, gymnastics, etc but none rush home to do homework; No homework. Ever.

This is by far the hardest part to understand. How can there be NO HOMEWORK? How will they remember what they learned?

Well apparently, homework is not all that we’ve been promised.

Children need time to be children, families need time as families, and it seems that the stress and misery caused by nightly homework corrodes the family time, so they never assign it! That’s it. Such as simple idea.

A simple idea that seems to be working. For the 2016 school year Alfred Adler Charter School earned an “A” grade based on the Florida standardized testing.

This place is truly a community of children, made up of child citizens, developing a lifetime love of learning, and we are all excited to see where they go.

Alfred Adler Charter School is located at 4515 38th Ave N, St. Petersburg. For more information, call (727) 329-9545 or visit www. alfredadlerschool.org.

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GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / JUNE 2017

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