Green Bench Monthly - Vol 2, Issue 8, August 2017

Vol. 2, Issue 8, august 2017

St. Pete’s Direct-Mail Community Magazine

Marine Science In St. Petersburg:

The Large and Growing Oceanographic Research Community pg.14

Pier Art to Connect Us All

Janet Echelman pg. 8

Helping the Community

Clothes to Kids pg. 10

Begin Your Dance Journey

St. Pete Dance pg. 13

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Publishers

Ashley & Tony Sica

Editors

Cristina Juska Nadine Maas Pam Sica

Sunken Gardens. Photo by: City of St. Petersburg

Contributors

Andy Bragg, Nicole Brand, Luke Cross, Rui Farias, Jadyn Gonzales, Mitzi Gordon, Victoria Lasavath, Cindy Garza Ontkos, Jack Spinrad, Alan Venable, Nehemiah Warner, Brian Zucker

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From the Bench

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Comic: Sunken Gardens

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From the Museum’s Archives

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A Pier to Connect Us All: Artist, Janet Echelman

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Clothes To Kids Helping the Community, One Child at a Time

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RE/MAX Realty Unlimited Educated Agents, Strong Values

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Kimberly Hughes, LMT, NMT: The Healing Touch

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St. Pete Dance

Bob the Robot

Intern Extraordinaire Emily Bloxam

Photo Credits

St. Pete Dance and Kimberly Hughes, LMT, NMT by Kelly Nash Photography Events and Marine Science by City of St. Petersburg

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Contact

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

Proud member of:

14 Marine Science in St. Pete:

The Large and Growing

Oceanographic Research Community

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Downtown Developments

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Community Events

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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GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM

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From the Bench Howdy! We’ve got a fun line up for you this month. We would give you a run down of the highlights, but honestly, you should just flip through every page—because it’s all worth reading.

To improve your experience, we made a few changes to our layout this issue. What do you think? We’d love to hear your feedback. Shoot us an email greenbenchmonthly@gmail.com.

We’d also like to give a warm welcome to our new community supporters: Grassroots Kava House (pg. 2), Big T Printing (bottom of this page) and Luxurable Kitchen and Bath (back inside cover). And a big thank-you to one of our first believers; the Law Offices of

Scott Johni (ads on pg. 3 and 16). Their continued support helps us to keep sharing uplifting news about the neighborhood. Not only are they an outstanding Personal Injury law firm, but they also live here and do A LOT for our community! Whether it’s supporting Junior League or buying grocery carts full of supplies for the St. Pete Free Clinic, it’s businesses and neighbors like this that keep St. Pete strong!

Keep spreading the positive vibes and here’s to a breezy rest of the summer! me, Till next ti

Say Hello to Bob the Robot

ls hanne Bob c usack in C John nything” “Say A

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Bob the Robot is a creation of St. Pete artist “Aurailieus Artist.” Bob has humble beginnings as a cardboard robot - tethered together by duct tape, glue and some metal wiring, mass produced as part of a robotic army set to adorn the halls of the first ever St.Pete Robot Exchange (an annual event in St. Pete to appease our robotic overlords). After a long night of drinking whiskey, and a rice megatron malfunction, the robot became self aware.

Bob has recently acquired the honorary title of “Prince” by the people of Denmark after he traveled there, rescued a princess and became the country’s biggest pop culture phenomenon (true story). Thus, Bob the Robot is often referred to as “Bob the Robot; Prince of Denmark”. Bob is often memorialised in the form of public art projects such as murals around downtown St.

Pete where he often carries a message written on a cardboard sign - protesting gentrification or simply stating good ideas.

Bob Needs Your Help

To help Bob with this latest art project slash social experiment, any combination of the following two items are requested of you: 1.) A wall, dumpster or any outside surface onto which a Bob the Robot mural can be created. (remember these robots can be from two feet tall to six) 2.) A monetary donation- whatever you can afford really- to purchase paint and supplies to execute these Bob the Robot urban art murals.

Email or send a carrier pigeon to: Bobmuralproject@gmail.com

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Entertainment Erik Jasek is a local cartoonist and illustrator. 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. To contact Erik, email: jurassicjasek@ gmail.com.

Modern Mail

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History

From the Museum’s Archives With St. Petersburg Museum of History Executive Director, Rui Farias

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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Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio vacationed at the Tides Hotel & Bath Club on North Redington Beach in 1961.

DiMaggio joined the New York Yankees in 1936 and spent nearly every March in St. Petersburg for Spring Training.

The Yankees arrived in St. Pete in 1925, practicing at Huggins-Stengel Field at Crescent Lake and playing their games at Waterfront Park/Al Lang Stadium through 1961, departing for Ft. Lauderdale the following season. The Schrader’s Little Cooperstown exhibit at the Museum of History features a ball autographed by both Monroe and DiMaggio, one of only two items believed to ever be signed jointly by the two icons.

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Janet Echelman

Photo by: Ulysse Lemerise

A Pier to Connect Us All: Janet Echelman

By Nehemiah Warner

On a morning stroll through Vinoy Park, weaving through joggers and the friendly barks of leashed dogs, a particularly stunning sunrise turns the Tampa Bay water gold. Across the water the pier’s absence is evident, as St. Petersburg’s residents dream of a new pier to connect us even more closely to the water.

With the current completion date for the pier set for early 2019, the planning process is in full swing, with many exciting developments.

Not the least of which is news that famed local artist, Janet Echelman, is returning to add one of her whimsical signature sculptures to the pier’s design.

Echelman’s work and her story are winding, woven testaments to the power of interconnectedness. She grew up in Tampa and graduated from Plant High School. She first became involved with art as a youngster through music. Echelman studied classical piano and entered the Florida Orchestra concerto competition at 14. While playing with a full orchestra was an honor, being on stage ultimately gave her stomach pains. She learned to love creating art in private and sharing it with the world once finished. Even though she shied away from the spotlight, she said, “Growing up, I longed for a sense of connection in the public spaces.”

Making of an Artist

The now 51-year-old Echelman is still linked to the Tampa Bay area by family, and says she holds many fond memories of visiting her great aunt, who lived in St. Pete Beach, at Christmas. She describes jumping over waves in the foamy surf, adding, “I loved it so much; we looked forward to it all year.” Later on, during a summer in college, she interned as a staff writer for the St. Petersburg Times, remembering her daily ascent over the Skyway bridge in a yellow VW bug with no air conditioning—a portrait of Florida so clear, it could be on a postcard.

Echelman went on to graduate from Harvard in 1987 with B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies. According to her TED talk, entitled Taking Imagination Seriously, she was subsequently denied admission

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by seven art schools. So, she travelled the globe instead, studying ancient arts firsthand, such as calligraphy in Hong Kong and textile techniques in Bali. After the unfortunate loss of her home in Bali to a fire, she returned to Harvard to teach.

After seven years as artist-in-residence at Harvard, Echelman got the travel itch again. In 1997 she earned her M.F.A. in painting from Bard College and a Master’s degree in Psychology from Lesley University. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to provide painting exhibitions in India and she set out for the village of Mahabalipuram known for its ornate granite shrines and monuments. When her painting supplies never arrived, Echelman didn’t throw her hands up, but did what she does best—utilized her art to connect with people.

She observed fishermen along the Bay of Bengal piling their nets in the evening. Echelman saw a lightness and freedom in the nets’ structure and was inspired. Collaborating with the village fishermen, she created her “Bellbottoms” project, displaying her hand-knotted sculptures on poles along the beach, which allowed the wind to breathe into the nets and give them infinite shapes.

From here, Echelman continued to perfect upon this approach.

She began mechanically weaving the same material used to construct NASA’s spacesuits. She moved on to create a permanent installation in a roundabout in Portugal titled “She Changes”, which was said to invoke imagery of an industrial smoke cloud, water ripple and Portuguese lace. With an openness to using technology to overcome unique limitations to her large-scale, woven masterpieces, Echelman set out connect communities across the globe in new ways. She has work displayed in Vancouver, Greensboro, Phoenix, Seattle, London, New York, Singapore and Sydney.

Echelman’s artwork is hard to imagine without seeing it for yourself. They are typically organic forms made of hundreds of feet of draped, braided nylon and UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene), often appearing two-toned in the daylight, white and red. The nets are suspended on wires from nearby buildings, allowing

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Photo by: Enrique Diaz them to hover mysteriously over viewers.

Once night falls, colorful LED lighting gives the form new life.

Her pieces draw from inspiration that often involves a whole community. For instance, her 2016 piece “1.8” used computerrendering technology to mimic the shape of a tsunami in Japan. The title referred to the time, in microseconds, the day had been shortened by the earthquake that caused the life-changing wave. The immortalized tsunami gave the community a place to memorialize their experience. The interconnected fabric

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of the structure reflected the community members who drew strength from each other.

Many questions remain as to what Echelman will create here in St. Pete, as city leaders are still in the analysis and budgeting phase of the project, but the possibilities are exciting. How will Echelman distill our city’s spirit in sculpture?

The artist told Green Bench Monthly: “I have turned to the specific history of the specific site, Spa Beach, which has a century’s worth of rich, cultural history. This place is about leisure and whimsy, and I’ve been

inspired by patterns and colors of parasols I found in historic photos taken at Spa Beach.”

The excitement to see her creation come to life continues to grow. This will be an elaborate homecoming for an artist who has literally tied communities together around the world. One thing is certain: Echelman’s innovative sculpture at the new St. Pete pier will reflect our city, by design. “When I search for inspiration, I look all around me,” she said.

For more information and to view more photos of Echelman’s work, visit www.echelman.com.

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Not for profit

Clothes To Kids: Helping the Community, One Child at a Time

By Luke Cross

Back-to-school shopping season is in full swing, and families across Pinellas County are making sure their kids are prepared for the upcoming semester. Unfortunately, not every family can afford to supply their students with the essentials, especially when it comes to the expensive clothing that growing children need every year. That’s why Clothes To Kids (CTK) has been helping to provide families with the school clothing they need for more than a decade.

Clothes To Kids is a Clearwater-based nonprofit organization, which provides school clothes to low-income or in-crisis, school-age children in Pinellas County free of charge. An eligible child can choose a week’s worth of clothing, which is called a wardrobe and includes a pair of shoes, five new pairs of socks, four bottoms, five new pairs of underwear, five tops, an optional dress and a jacket in winter. Any student currently receiving reduced-price lunch through Pinellas County Schools is eligible, and letters of referral from a social worker or school faculty member are also accepted.

“It’s awful to know that some of these families are struggling to provide just basics,” said Jennifer Jacobs, development director at CTK. “We know that we do clothing and we do it well, so we focus on that, and it’s one less

thing a family has to worry about.”

Eligible students may shop by appointment at a Clothes To Kids store—there is one in St. Petersburg and one in Clearwater—twice in a calendar year. This adds up to the organization providing an incredible amount of clothing to the community.

“We know on average we’re providing between 10,000 and 12,000 wardrobes each year,” Jacobs said. “We began serving the Pinellas community in 2003, and now in 2017 we have provided over 121,000 wardrobes to children in need.”

The process of gathering and delivering these clothes is supported by volunteers at every step. Jacobs said: “We use between 1,500 and 1,800 volunteer hours a month. Some of our volunteers have been here longer than I have!”

Clothes To Kids partners with various local charities to serve a common clientele, Jacobs explained: “We work with a lot of the homeless agencies in the community, they call on us to provide their clients with clothes, as well. We have great community partnerships with a lot of organizations because they know that’s one less thing they have to provide if a family needs it.”

Fundraisers and donation drives play a key role in keeping Clothes To Kids’ stores well stocked. This past July the 44th Annual Sunrise Sale, hosted by the Downtown Business Association, raised over $1,200 for CTK.

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Currently, CTK is in the middle of their Drop Off Your Drawers campaign, a donation drive for new packages of underwear. Jacobs believes campaigns like Drop Off Your Drawers and their upcoming footwear-oriented drive, Kick One Back, are vital to keeping costs down for the nonprofit.

“We will provide 55,000 new pairs of underwear this year and every year,” Jacobs said. “If we were to purchase the amount needed, it would be around $114,000.”

Jacobs said that donations are key to providing so many children in need with clothing that they otherwise would go without: “When the community gives us clothes, it helps keep our costs down, which directly helps those in need. And we know that the clothes are out there, it’s just a matter of getting the word out.”

If you would like to donate gently used clothing or new socks and underwear, you may drop off donations at the St. Petersburg store, Monday through Friday, 9am to 1pm, at 2168 34th Street South. Or the Clearwater store, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, at 1059 North Hercules Avenue. There is also a clothing bin available after hours.

For guidelines on what types and sizes of clothing they need, to learn about volunteer opportunities, to refer a family to shop, or to make an online monetary donation, please visit www.clothestokids.org.

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Local Business

Nancy Hadam and Jenny Roche

RE/MAX Realty Unlimited: Educated Agents, Strong Values

By Alan Venable

Buying or selling a home is a major decision, possibly one of the biggest decisions of your life. You’ll probably want the best-ofthe-best real estate professionals to help you navigate this tremendous process. That means savvy, educated professionals with strong values (and a little kindness and cheerfulness wouldn’t hurt either).

If you’re buying or selling in the St. Pete area, you can trust the team at RE/MAX Realty Unlimited to be your local real estate gurus.

Their mission is to provide real estate services that exceed expectations. They feel everyone deserves the world-class services of outstanding agents. By providing exceptional support and guidance, RE/MAX Realty Unlimited hopes they will immediately come to mind when a friend or family member asks for a referral, having earned that confidence from their clients.

While their Brandon office has been open much longer, RE/MAX Realty Unlimited has been operating in St. Petersburg since 2012. Since opening the small office in Old Northeast, the whole team has concentrated on helping people buy and sell homes, and becoming part of the neighborhood.

“We felt strongly that a concierge environment, offering services that went above and beyond a traditional real estate office, was the way we wanted to expand our business,” said owner and broker Nancy Hadam. “We have been successful in increasing our business year over year.”

The team at RE/MAX Realty Unlimited find St. Pete to be the perfect location for their

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business for more reasons than one, Jenny Roche, Broker said.

“When someone is looking for a place to call home, the St. Petersburg area is hard to beat. We live here and we love it.”

They have witnessed firsthand how the St. Pete community has become a vibrant, interesting and friendly area to work, live and play. There’s a lot about our eccentrically charming St. Petersburg that attracts real estate buyers, and the RE/MAX Realty Unlimited team will be the first to tell you that the positive, friendly, helpful and thoughtful people truly make the city a more desirable place to live.

Roche said: “From its beautiful beaches to the popular downtown area with shops, restaurants, museums, community events and general camaraderie, it’s just one of those beautiful places that more and more people are discovering. Real estate is a healthy investment and homeowners continue to agree.”

Demonstrating the importance of giving back to the community and the area, the team at RE/MAX Realty Unlimited are tireless givers. Most notably, brokers and agents donate money from every closing to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in the area.

“In St. Petersburg we support Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and we are proud to be a Miracle Office in the Children’s Miracle Network System,” Roche and Hadam said.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of RE/MAX Realty Unlimited’s participation in

the Miracle System (including their Brandon office). Parent company RE/MAX LLC is one of CMN’s top donors nationwide, and its agents have contributed more than $150 million to help children in medical need.

“In 2016, Florida was one of the top three states that raised the most funds for CMN Hospitals,” Hadam said. “Everyone who has bought or sold a house with us has made that possible.”

They love the area, love what they do, and this is their promise: “When you work with RE/MAX Realty Unlimited, we keep our buyers’ and sellers’ interests first and foremost.

Your confidence is what makes us successful, and we thank all our buyers and sellers for their trust and loyalty over the years. You’ll be working with a professional who strives to exceed your expectations of what a real estate company should provide you.”

You may think most real estate agents do the same job no matter the company, but that’s simply not true. As with other professions, it takes experience, patience, skill and a positive personality to be the best, and RE/MAX Realty Unlimited delivers! Outstanding agents mean outstanding results, and the team at RE/MAX Realty Unlimited strives to be the best–– through education, service and effort.

RE/MAX Realty Unlimited is located at 2012 4th St N. in St. Petersburg.

For more information visit www.homesaroundstpetersburg.com or call 727-280-9996.

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Local business

of muscle tears and injuries. In addition, Kimberly explains, endorphins released during massage are beneficial in managing pain, stress, insomnia and depression, naturally.

A graduate of the Humanities Center in May 2005, and full-time practitioner as of January 2006, Kimberly has since become specialized in deep tissue, sports, neuromuscular therapies, relaxation (such as hot stone massage and paraffin wax), medical massage and, most recently in 2013, a certified pregnancy massage practitioner trained under Dr Deanine Picciano AP, LMT. Even with all of her current certifications, Kimberly is always seeking to expand her skillset. Every two years, the Department of Health mandates all licensed practitioners to complete 24 hours of continuing education before applying for license renewals. Kimberly is hoping to add manual lymphatic drainage and massage geared toward cancer patients to her skillset in the future.

Earlier this year, as she headed into her 11th year of practicing, Kimberly moved the location of her practice. A few months after the move, she held a ribbon-cutting ceremony as a member of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Rick Kriseman and chamber President and CEO Christopher Steinocher were among the guests.

Above: Kimberly Hughes, LMT, NMT. Right: Kimberly works on patient at her studio off 16th St N. Photos by Kelly Nash Photography.

Kimberly Hughes, LMT, NMT: The Healing Touch

By Victoria Lasavath

Living in St. Pete, one is never at a loss for things to do, especially outdoors. With activities like biking, swimming and golfing readily available, it’s easy to maintain a healthy routine. In order to keep soreness and injuries at bay, many active people turn to massage therapy.

Massage therapist Kimberly Hughes, LMT, NMT was first drawn to massage therapy as a client due to her own active lifestyle. Once she discovered how beneficial the practice was to help balance out her dynamic hobbies, she decided to study massage herself.

Kimberly was born and raised in Clearwater and has been a St. Pete resident since 2001, where she enjoys outdoor activities such as kayaking, rollerblading and fishing.

“I was always fascinated by anatomy and physiology, and the human body,” Kimberly said. “Massage was a way to incorporate all of that.” As a massage therapist, she also gets to work with many likeminded people who are active, and health and wellness-oriented.

“I enjoy being able to make people feel better, and to add to their quality of life,” she said. “People are always happy to see me, and they’re happier as they leave. It’s a win-win.”

Kimberly makes it a point to strategically schedule her clients throughout the day and to not overbook, as it can potentially take away from the massage experience for guests.

“Kimberly’s skills as a therapist are as good as I’ve found,” said Paula G., one of Kimberly’s clients. “I’ve had no major health issues even though I’m approaching 60 years of age, and I believe massage therapy has allowed me to keep the edge for my personal life and my professional life.”

Benefits of massage include improved circulation and increased flexibility and range of motion. Which in turn reduces the likelihood

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While there were nerves at her ribbon-cutting ceremony, she was more excited about the possibilities for the new location of her business, Kimberly recalls: “My goals for my business are to become completely self-sufficient while being my own boss. It is a dream I will see to fruition.”

Kimberly adds that she has been very fortunate to have so much love and support from her fiance, Kerry Robertson.

Kimberly’s office is open six days a week, and is located at 3135 16th Street North. See her ad below for $20 Off your first massage.

For more information, or to book a session with Kimberly, visit her website at kimberlymassage.com or find her on Facebook under ‘Kimberly Hughes LMT, NMT - Massage Therapy’.

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Local Business

St. Pete Dance: Begin Your Dance Journey Today

By Cindy Garza Ontkos

Get your dancing shoes on, St. Petersburg! There’s a new dance studio in town and they want to teach you some new moves.

St. Pete Dance is a dream turned into reality for Michael Raisch and Michael Housel. The two have been friends for 25 years, and not only do they share a passion for dance, but they have both spent many years in competitive dance and coaching.

Locally Owned & Operated

Michael Raisch lives in Historic Kenwood with his two dogs, Maggie and Max, and his cat, Sylvester. He has been a St. Petersburg resident for 14 years and enjoys being active in the community. He was previously a member of the chamber of commerce in Safety Harbor. After traveling for years as a competitive dance coach, he says he is ready to stay put.

Michael Housel resides in St. Pete with his wife, Monique, their three children and their dog, Cha Cha. Michael started dancing when he was 11 years old and hasn’t stopped since. He has pursued dancing throughout his career, and formerly owned a studio in West Palm Beach.

Both Michaels love the sense of community here in St. Pete, and are excited for St. Pete Dance to become part of the everyday lives of the people who live here. They want to open their studio doors to the surrounding neighborhood for block parties, fundraisers and private events.

Learn From the Pros

With multiple titles and championships under their belts, they are ready to pass on their knowledge and love of dance, to anyone wishing to learn. Their motto is, “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

At St. Pete Dance they provide one-on-one, private lessons by appointment. If you don’t have a partner, don’t worry, they will match you with an instructor. They offer a wide variety of popular dance styles, such as ballroom, Latin and country, just to name a few.

“It’s not just about dancing; there are so many more benefits,” said Michael Raisch. He says that dancing opens up a world of self confidence and stress relief, not to mention being a fun way to get some exercise. Yes, you heard right, dance plus fun equals exercise!

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Above: Michael Housel and Michael Raisch, Owners of St. Pete Dance.

Below: Michael Raisch Practicing with Student at St. Pete Dance Studio. Photos by Kelly Nash Photography.

Lose Weight, Too!

Michael Housel recounts how a former client lost 110 pounds with dance as her primary means of exercise. He also noted that learning the rhythmic patterns challenges the brain and aids in memory function. Plus, “It just feels great!” Once you walk into the studio, the stresses of the day just start to fade away. All you have to do is show up in a comfortable pair of shoes with a willingness to learn, and they will guide you through the rest.

For those of you out there who are looking to spice up your date nights, or even just start having date nights, here is your chance. In dance, you have the opportunity to make personal, coordinated connections with your partner, without the distractions of the outside world.

Not to mention, what an awesome way to show off at the next big event you attend. No more sitting on the sidelines for you!

At St. Pete Dance, they encourage all experience levels to join in on the fun. They are willing and well prepared to teach any style you are interested in learning. You will continue to improve with every step, and the excitement in the studio is AUGUST 2017 /

contagious. It will make you want to step into your dancing shoes and never look back.

Two Lessons For $39!!!

There is no better time than now to begin your dance journey, as they are offering an introductory special of two lessons for only $39. So don’t wait—it’s just like they say. Do something today that your future self will thank you for.

You will find St. Pete Dance at 3138 3rd Ave N., St. Petersburg 33713. For more information call (727) 280-6962 or email stpetedance@gmail.com.

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science

Photos by: City of St. Petersburg

Marine Science in St. Pete: The Large and Growing Oceanographic Research Community

By Andy Bragg Did you know that the St. Petersburg marine science research community is the largest in the Southeast? Research being done here is improving our understanding of many of the largest local and international environmental issues, including the effects of oil and sewage spills, sea level rise and ocean acidification.

The center of this oceanographic research activity is the USF College of Marine Science (CMS) at the C.W. Bill Young Marine Science Complex located on Bayboro Harbor, just south of downtown. Several prominent oceanographic institutions are clustered nearby. They all make up the St. Petersburg Ocean Team (SPOT), an informal consortium consisting of over 800 professionals involved in a mind-boggling variety of oceanographic activities, and representing a huge economic driver in the region.

College of Marine Science

CMS, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in April, is a graduate school with approximately 100 students—two-thirds in Ph.D. programs—and 27 faculty members.

It offers interdisciplinary programs with five areas of concentration: Marine Resource Assessment and Biological, Chemical, Geological and Physical Oceanography.

Dean Jacqueline Dixon’s message to prospective students sums up the school’s appeal: “CMS scientists work in every ocean on issues…including sustainable fisheries, red tides, coral reef health, sea level rise, floods, ocean acidification, paleoclimate and sensor development.” CMS Development Director Howard Rutherford fondly recalls research voyages as a graduate student in the Arabian Sea, Arctic and South Pacific Oceans, as well as the Caribbean Sea. The laboratory and oceanic modeling activity at CMS’ 53,000-square-foot research and technology center goes hand-in-hand with the high seas expeditions.

In the last year, CMS’ faculty and researchers published nearly 100 scientific articles and brought in more than $15 million in research funding. A few examples show

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how the research is globally significant, regionally relevant and locally applied.

Sediment and fish from various Gulf of Mexico locations are analyzed to monitor any ongoing impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Tilefish are particularly revealing because they burrow into the sea bottom. Researchers analyze tilefish for both the level of oil residue and its impact on the fish’s health.

Video equipment has been developed that, when trolled behind research vessels, will identify, count and measure fish in real time to monitor populations and migrations.

Previously this research needed to be done by netting the fish. Underwater gliders are also used for similar research.

The ocean modeling and prediction team places data gathering sensors in far-flung waters, and develops mathematical models to analyze problems ranging from local water quality to sea level rise and other impacts of climate change.

The microbiology lab offers a ”grouper check” service identifying the type of fish by testing fillets. This allows restaurants to ensure that imported fish are what they are represented to be.

The lab also conducts testing of water

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quality for viruses, a process used after the recent partially treated sewage spills in local waters.

CMS is also focused on educational outreach to the community. It offers an Oceanography Camp for Girls each June to inspire and motivate girls entering high school to consider career opportunities in the sciences. It also is a major sponsor of Teen Science Café informational meetings and, each October, the two-day St. Petersburg Science Festival, which attracted 25,000 attendees last year.

Florida Institute of Oceanography

FIO is chartered by the Florida university system to facilitate collaborative research and education. It is headquartered at CMS with its research vessel R/V Weatherbird II, which played a key role in the Deepwater Horizon investigation. The newly christened, state-of-the-art R/V W.T. Hogarth will arrive soon. These vessels are floating classrooms used for research by students and scientists

from CMS and the 29 other scientific and educational institutions that make up FIO’s research consortium. Eckerd College and St. Petersburg College are also members.

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

FWRI monitors and provides technical support for marine resources, wildlife and habitats, and shares the research center with CMS. It is part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. More than half of FWRI’s 600 staff members work at Bayboro Harbor.

U. S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Sciences Center

USGS came to St. Petersburg in 1989 and has expanded to three buildings in the area.

It investigates processes related to coastal and marine environments and their societal implications related to natural hazards, resource sustainability and environmental change.

Knight Oceanographic Research Center — Facility shared by CMS and FWRI

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office is located a few blocks south.

It is responsible for the management, conservation and protection of living marine resources in waters from three to 200 miles offshore. For example, this regional office ensures compliance with fisheries regulations and issues alerts to protect endangered species.

NOAA may expand in the area. The Tampa Bay Times recently reported that the U.S. Commerce Department is expected to develop a plan to bring another NOAA facility and a research vessel to Bayboro Harbor.

The Tampa Bay Estuary Program is located in the same building as NOAA.

SRI International

SRI, a private company founded by CMS scientists, launched a marine science research facility at a nearby 38,000-square-foot, cityowned building in 2009.

The City of St. Petersburg aims to attract more oceanic research firms to the “Innovation District”, the walkable area just south of downtown, which includes USFSP, Poynter Institute, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and Bayfront Health.

The St. Petersburg Ocean Team estimates that marine science institutions generate $251 million in local economic activity annually. SPOT members are planning to open a Marine Exploration Center to educate and increase awareness of this impact. A successor to the former Pier Aquarium, the Center will be housed in a renovated 8,000-square-foot former visitors’ terminal at Port St. Pete. It will include digital learning displays and a theatre showing short films, such as those from the environmentally themed Blue Ocean Film Festival, which is held in St. Petersburg biannually.

Stay tuned; the marine science story continues to grow in St. Petersburg!

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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.

A new beer bar with a unique twist is headed to Downtown St. Pete. Pour Taproom, which will be located at 225 Second Avenue North (across from Sundial), will offer 85 self-serve taps. Customers pay by the ounce, not by the pint, so you can sample a variety of beers until you’ve found the perfect brew.

Pour Taproom will also have outdoor bocce ball courts and other games when they open later this year.

Downtown St. Pete’s most beloved dessert bar, (swah-rey), has announced plans to open a second location on the ever-evolving 600 block. Due to the smaller footprint, the new store will focus on to-go items such as their popular Minis (mini cupcakes), which are baked daily in about 13 flavors including Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake, Kahwa Coffee, Zesty Lemon and Almond Joy. They will also offer scratch-made breakfast items such as mini muffins, mini scones, mini coffee cakes, etc. The new storefront is expected to open this coming October at 625 Central Avenue.

Bento: Asian Kitchen + Sushi recently revealed plans to open on the ground floor of

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the AER apartment building. The restaurant specializes in bento boxes, rice and noodle bowls, sushi and boba tea. The eatery will include 80 seats inside in addition to outdoor sidewalk dining. Bento Café will open in Spring 2018 at 330 Third Street South.

Rounding out the retail at the AER apartment building is The Simple Greek, a fast-casual greek restaurant. Coming in 2018, The Simple Greek can be described as the “Chipotle for Greek food”. First you pick a base (pita or bowl), then a protein (gyro, chicken gyro, grilled steak or grilled chicken), and finally you choose your toppings and sauce. Other Greek specialties will also be available such as spanakopita, dolmades, tiropita, and baklava!

The 366-unit Avanti Apartments currently under construction at 201 4th Street South has made steady progress as of late. The east side of the 9-story apartment tower is expected to begin move-in’s around mid-January 2018, which will include most of the amenity spaces including the rooftop pool. The west side of the building should be

completed by April 2018.

The owner of Tampa’s popular Ichicoro Ramen has announced plans to open Ichicoro Ane (“older sister”) on the ground floor of Station House, a Downtown St. Pete coworking space located at 260 1st Avenue South. When the St. Pete location opens in 2018, it will boast a large menu of sharable izakaya, and various other Japanese-inspired dishes, in addition to a full, whiskey-centric bar.

Donut Freak is now open in Downtown St. Pete! Located inside Genaro’s Café at 1047 Central Avenue, Donut Freak is the creation of Lou Albano, former owner of Everything Dolce dessert bar. He and famed pastry chef and Donut Freak advisor Michael Ostrander have crafted the perfect donut, which is baked, not fried. Along with 21 varieties of baked donuts, Donut Freak also offers cake donuts, gluten free donuts, a vegan donut, and Duffins (muffins with a hole).

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

Sunken Gardens. Photo by: City of St. Petersburg.

2nd Annual St. Petersburg Crab & Music Festival

When: Saturday, September 2nd, 12 pm to 10 pm Where: Albert Whitted Park, 480 Bayshore Drive SE 33701 Cost: Kids 12 and under FREE, General Admission $20 St. Pete’s 2nd Annual Crab And Music Festival brings food, fun and family activities for all. Some of the hottest entertainment in music and comedy will be performing live, including performances from National Recording Artist Tony Terry, National Recording Artist Rome, BET Comic View Live Comedian Tiny and many more. Fun and games for the kids along with entertainment, food vendors and more for the whole family.

Hosted by Queen B from 95.7 THE BEAT. For more info, visit stpetecrabandmusicfest.com

The Raising of Webb City’s Mermaid

When: Saturday, September 9th, 10 am to 5 pm Where: St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 Second Avenue NE 33701 Cost: General Admission $15 For more information, visit www.spmoh.com

Food Truck Rally St. Pete Asian Lantern Festival

When: Friday, September 15th, 6 pm to 10 pm Where: Port of St. Pete, 250 Eighth Avenue SE 33701 Cost: Free Admission Enjoy the first ever St. Pete Asian Lantern Festival.

Enjoy some of the best food truck fare around at the future home of the Marine Discovery Center. Fun for the whole family! All of our trucks will serve up Special

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Asian Inspired dishes as well as offering their normal cuisine. There will be live music, waterfront seating - inside and out and free parking.

For more info, visit https://www.facebook.com/ events/1858715594391995/

Tampa Bay Job and Career Fair

When: Monday, September 18th, 10 am to 3 pm Where: The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. North 33701 Cost: Free Admission Looking for a new job? How about a new career? Come on out to the employment event of the season, the Tampa Bay Job and Career Fair. A great day to establish a new future. Meet with local companies who have immediate employment needs from entry-level positions to skilled trade, health care and even top managerial positions. This special event is designed to help put you face to face with companies with open positions which they are looking to fill immediately.

For more info, visit www.tampabayjobfair.com

Walk-In Computer Help at Mirror Lake Library

When: Monday, September 25, 2 pm to 4 pm Where: Mirror Lake Library Community Room, 280 5th St. North 33701 Cost: Free Admission Visit the Mirror Lake Library on Monday afternoons to receive help with resumes, e-books, job applications, e-mail, and unemployment assistance from presenter Carla Porter. Mirror Lake Library events are always free.

For more information, visit http://splibraries.libcal. com/event/3157300 or call the library at (727) 893-7268

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