Green Bench Monthly - Vol 2, Issue 10, October 2017

Vol. 2, Issue 10, October 2017

St. Pete’s Direct-Mail Community Magazine

Events Are Back In Season! pg. 22

Ghosts of

Egmont Key pg. 6

Local Online Radio

RadioStPete pg. 10

The Balancing Act

Priest, Wife, Mom pg. 16

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Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Publishers

Ashley & Tony Sica

Editor

Cristina Juska

Contributing Editors Nadine Maas, Pam Sica

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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Web Content Manager Emily Bloxam

Photo Credits

Cover: Saturday Morning Market

by City of St. Petersburg

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From the Bench

by Kelly Nash Photography

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Ghosts of Egmont Key

RadioStPete & Signature Urgent Care “Morning” Poem

by Beth Reynolds

Downtown Developments

by Jared Cordova

Contact

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

Proud member of:

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USF St. Pete: Host Your Next Big Event Here

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The Balancing Act of the Three- Legged Stool— Priest, Wife, Mom

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Gibbs High School

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Smith & Associates: Helping Customers Find Their Own Unique Luxury

8 From the Museum’s Archives

21 Downtown Developments

9 Comic

“Morning” Poem

22 Events

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RadioStPete: Local Online Radio

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Sound Exchange Opens New Superstore

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Signature Urgent Care: Superior Medical Services, Just Around the Corner

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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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From the Bench

Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Hi, again. Now that it’s fall’ish and hurricane season is almost over...some of our favorite events are back! Our calendar (pg. 2223) is packed this issue with lots of local favorites you won’t want to miss. Like Pathfinder’s, now FREE, Outdoor Climb. Make sure to check it out.

On our minds this month: Helping Radius raise donations and recruit volunteers for their Annual Thanksgiving Drive (see ad on pg. 4 for details). Speaking of Holidays being right around the corner, Chef Roberta Massetti of Mangia Con Gusto is offering special pricing for November bookings (see ad middle left of this page). If you decide to host this year, Tampa Bay Furnishings (see ad on pg. 20) has lots of tips for ways to spruce up your dining room.

We’ve also got BIG plans brewing with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint available at Buster’s Antiques (see ad lower left corner of this page).

More on how that turns out later... And cats! So many cats at Save Our Strays need a home (see ad pg. 8)! If you have time and space to share with a new best friend, please consider adoption. We’re hiring business writers. And last but not least, we have tickets to give away to The Florida Orchestra! Tell us what you love most about St. Pete—we’ll give five lucky readers each a pair of tickets. Send your St. Pete love to greenbenchmonthly@gmail.com or PO Box 76095, St. Petersburg, FL 33734.

Now Hiring Business Writers To apply, send two (2) writing samples to ashley@greenbenchmonthly.com

me, Till next ti

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History

(present-day Oklahoma). Egmont Key was used as a detention area for Seminoles awaiting transfer; many did not survive their stay.

In 1848 work was completed on the island’s first lighthouse.

In September of that year, a hurricane hit the island, covering it with six feet of water. It is said that the lighthouse keeper and his family rode out the storm in a small boat, tied to a tree. After the storm passed, they rowed to Tampa and never returned. A few weeks later Egmont Key was hit with another hurricane, and a third swept over the island in 1852. Work began to rebuild the lighthouse in 1857. It was moved about 90 feet inland, and in 1858 it was put back in service.

Strategic Strongholds

Egmont Key Lighthouse. 1913. Black & white photoprint.

State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

Ghosts of Egmont Key

By Jack Spinrad

Have you ever heard about the Egmont Key Ghost Town? If there’s a story about a ghost town, there must surely be ghosts, so I was intrigued to learn more.

Early Inhabitants

Perhaps we should begin with the history of Egmont Key. As with the majority of coastal Pinellas County, human habitation of this small island near Fort DeSoto can be traced back more than 2,000 years. However, it wasn’t until 1757 that Don Francisco Maria Celi, a pilot of the royal Spanish fleet, made the first recorded landing and named the island La Isla de San Blas y Barreda. The name would be short-lived. Just six years later, Florida became a British colony, and the island was named after John Perceval, the Second Earl of Egmont. Even though Florida was ceded back to Spain in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the name stuck.

The Second Seminole War (1835-1842) took place when the U.S. Army tried to get the Seminole tribe to move west to the Indian Territory

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The lighthouse lens was removed by Confederates during the Civil War to frustrate the Union Navy’s efforts to blockade Tampa Bay. Egmont Key was captured by Union forces in July 1861, who used it as a base to attack Confederate ships around Tampa Bay, as a military prison and a refuge for pro-Union sympathizers. A cemetery for Union and Confederate soldiers was opened on the island in 1864 and maintained until 1909, when the bodies were moved to other military cemeteries.

Fort Dade on Egmont Key and Fort DeSoto on nearby Mullet Key were built in 1898, when the Spanish-American War was imminent. The forts were to work in conjunction with each other and protect Tampa Bay from attacks by the Spanish Navy. The Spanish fleet never made it here, due to its destruction by the U.S. Navy in Cuba, followed shortly thereafter

by Spain’s surrender. A hostile shot was never fired from the fort, although a hospital at Fort Dade was used to quarantine American soldiers returning from Cuba.

By 1910, more than 300 people called Fort Dade/Egmont Key home, living in large barracks,

freestanding homes for officers and civilians, and segregated housing for African American workers.

Residents enjoyed such amenities as a movie theater, bowling alley and tennis courts. During World War I, Fort Dade was used as a training center for National Coast Guard artillery units. The fort was deactivated in 1921, and was briefly reactivated during WWII before the military permanently abandoned it in 1946.

In 1974 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took possession and turned the island over to the State of Florida. That year the key was designated a National Wildlife Refuge and in 1989 Egmont Key State Park opened.

The Ghost Town

Today only remnants of buildings still stand, both on land and underwater, where much of the onetime 580-acre island has been reclaimed by the sea, leaving less than 300 acres above the water. Heavy jungle growth has invaded much of the island, but a grid of idyllic red brick streets have withstood a century of Florida’s weather. This area is often referred to as the Ghost Town of Egmont Key. According to Greg Jenkins, author of Florida’s Ghostly Legends and Haunted Folklore: The Gulf Coast and Pensacola, at least one park ranger has seen a spirit on Egmont Key., swearing that late one night, he encountered a man dressed as a Civil War soldier.

There have also been reports of shadowy figures skulking around the lighthouse, which still stands today, and a pale face peering out.

Who could be behind the ghostly encounters? Seminole warriors, Spanish explorers, Union and Confederate soldiers, or lighthouse keepers of old? Explore the ghost town on this historic island and decide for yourself.

Egmont Key State Park is open to the public daily from 8am until sunset. You can take a private boat or book a ferry from Fort DeSoto.

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History

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

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A rare 1920’s aerial shot of the early St. Petersburg downtown waterfront, complete with three piers: Tomlinson/Fountain of Youth, Railroad and the Municipal Pier. But something is missing - the dredged land that would complete the Vinoy Park Hotel, and Vinoy Park itself.

Reservoir Lake is visible in the background, one of the City’s original water sources, it is now known as Mirror Lake.

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See the Museum of History’s newest exhibit - Signs of Our Times - A Vintage Journey of Roadside Art. Iconic rare road and advertising signs from around the world.

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.

Art & Entertainment

Comic By Erik Jasek

Morning

Poem By Robb Hasencamp Over grasses wet With dawn’s grey hand, I walk winged Against the morning, A leaf hurled trembling turning, Into day’s bright lightening hour.

“Dew Drop” Photo by Beth Reynolds

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Local Business

RadioStPete: Local Online Radio

By Nicole Brand

What do you get when an old-time exbroadcaster takes on radio programming, millennial style? Well, you get Joe Bourdow’s retirement project: RadioStPete. It’s an internet radio stream that continuously pumps out local music, local event coverage and live event broadcasting.

Then there’s the most millennial move of all—organic, free range, locally produced podcasts!

RadioStPete is a new media platform that constantly streams content via a variety of sources, including TuneIn, where you can listen from any computer and use the search tool to find streaming podcasts. Better yet, download the app and listen to the RadioStPete music and events stream on your smartphone from anywhere!

You can get started at radiostpete.com, where you can find all of their podcasts on archive, as well as a link to listen live on TuneIn. Listen to Maura Sweeney and explore what makes you happy in easily digestible tenminute bites. Check out one of Will Kuncz’ productions, like the Homemade Broadcast Radio (HMBradio), which can also be found in iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher. And what would an all-inclusive internet radio package be without sports coverage? Tune in for The Unused Substitutes, the Tampa Bay Rowdies podcast.

If podcasts and talk radio aren’t your thing, Radio St. Pete has a full lineup of live music coverage. Tune in for special live broadcast events, as well as weekly staples like their Saturday night beach music jam or Frank Rivera’s Sunday Night Classic Jazz, produced from his home studio. If you just

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Will Kuncz’ producer of the Homemade Broadcast Radio (HMBradio) Photos by Kelly Nash Photography

like good music, their 24-hour music station is almost always playing current and classic rock, and often features local bands. Or kick back with the Friday Night Happy Hour Show, live from Seminole.

Why the internet? Though Joe isn’t a millennial himself, he’s well acquainted with the radio. He wanted to support his local community and as an innovator, he saw a need with the opportunity to grow into something bigger. Joe calls St. Pete his home and has been privy to watching St. Pete grow into a bustling small city, packed to the gills with a multitude of events, and he wanted to highlight them. He wanted to nurture their growth.

Advertising and marketing is expensive.

Joe would know; he worked as the president of Valpak for over 35 years before retiring and embarking on this adventure. The solution was simple, and as Joe said, “These days, everybody’s cell phone is a transistor radio.”

So, it made sense to scrap the highly regulated structure of traditional radio and delve into newer technology.

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So where does all of the magic go down? Well, all over the Tampa Bay area, really. RadioStPete is a 100 percent virtual production, so coverage happens live or takes place in the hosts’ home studios, where they play music, talk business, interview notable St. Pete-ians and tackle a slew of other topics.

For example, Dean Logan produces Job Talk with Dean Logan live from the offices of Big Sea in downtown St. Pete, creating this renegade-style media artform. They’ve amassed listeners from 152 countries and counting, with 85,000 unique listeners in the past year tuning in from countries as close as Canada and as far as Germany.

This little internet radio that could is also a two-time finalist for RAIN News’ (Radio and Internet News) Best Single Stream Broadcaster award. Not bad for hyper-local coverage of our Sunshine City. Not bad at all.

Visit radiostpete.com to learn more and to listen today. And be sure to look out for RadioStPete as they take to the streets for live event coverage.

Local Business

Sound Exchange Opens New Pinellas Park Superstore

The independent record store is alive and well in the greater St. Pete area. Take Sound Exchange, for example. The local, independent record store chain first opened in 1987 and is still going strong 30 years later. Recently, Sound Exchange announced that it would merge its Brandon and Pinellas Park stores into one, 6,400-square foot superstore, located at the corner of 66th Street North and 86th Avenue North in Pinellas Park. The new location will have a soft opening in the middle of this month and be fully stocked with both stores’ inventory by next month.

Erin Stoy, Sound Exchange’s marketing director, said that their Tampa location, boasting 5,000 square feet of space, has always been considered the “mothership.” However, Stoy said, “The new store will allow us to offer customers the same depth of selection in Pinellas County as we have provided in Hillsborough County for decades.” She also mentioned that the larger space will benefit their customers by offering an expanded selection while keeping the low prices they have always offered.

Members of the chain’s Brandon staff have been offered jobs in Tampa or the new Pinellas Park location. The existing Pinellas Park location (in Park Plaza at Park Blvd. N. and 49th St. N.) will stock closeouts and surplus products.

For those looking to sell some of their music stash, Sound Exchange stores are in prime “buying mode” right now. They are currently offering cash or store credit for gently used CDs, vinyl records, Blu-Rays, DVDs, tapes, video games, vintage stereo equipment, nonfiction books, collectible figures, and comics.

“Now is the perfect time to put some cash in your pocket by bringing these types of items to any Sound Exchange location, as we work to fill up the new store,” Stoy said.

For more information about Sound Exchange, please visit www.soundexchangetampabay.com. And be sure to check out the new Pinellas Park superstore soon!

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Local Business Photos by Kelly Nash Photography

Signature Urgent Care: Superior Medical Services, Just Around the Corner

By Alan Venable

The medical professionals at walk-in clinics across the country have seen it all; the after-hours stomach bug, the fractured toe on Christmas Day. These facilities exist to bring convenient medical help to those who require care, but not an emergency room.

Dr. Faraz Pasha and his dedicated team of professionals at Signature Urgent Care bring their expertise and compassion to the busy downtown St. Pete area, every single day of the year.

Convenient and Affordable

Walk-in clinics are popular due to their convenience and general affordability. They’re typically located, as the name would suggest, within walking distance of populated areas.

Since symptoms and procedures are typically less severe, the cost isn’t as extreme as an emergency room.

The best part—they are there when you

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need them! Signature Urgent Care is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends and holidays.

No appointment necessary.

While this type of convenience may be expected of any walk-in clinic, they don’t all offer the same positive energy and community support that Dr. Pasha and his team provide as a locally owned, independent small business.

“Thanks to the support of our patients and the community, we are the number-one rated Urgent Care in St. Petersburg,” Dr. Pasha said. “We are open 365 days a year on a walkin basis, and provide treatment for common colds to broken bones, and everything in between.”

That includes things like flu shots and physicals and prescription refills, too. “So, anything that is non-life-threatening, we can take care of it, and much faster than any other

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options,” he said.

How do you know when you should choose Signature Urgent Care, rather than heading to the ER? They can handle more than you may think!

Dr. Pasha said, “For any cuts, falls or trauma, you will save money and time coming to us rather than going to the emergency room. We do x-rays, EKGs, blood draws and IV fluids on-site. We take most major insurances and have the best cash-pay pricing for patients without insurance. We see all ages, three months and above. And we validate the parking in the Rowdies parking garage right across the street.”

Community Focused

The community here in Saint Pete is a tight-knit one. Any weekend stroll downtown is sure to eventually lead to someone you know. That familiar, small-town feel reaches

Located in the Signature Place building, between Fifth Third Bank and the space previously occupied by Z Grille. all the way to Signature Urgent Care. They are unique in that they are not part of a corporate chain or franchise.

“St. Pete is a perfectly sized city that has small-town charm but medium-sized city amenities,” Dr. Pasha said. “The community is the nicest I have ever worked in. I run into my patients on the streets and in cafes all the time, and it’s such a great feeling. Everyone is so neighborly and kind. Most of our patients come in due to personal referrals from friends and neighbors.”

Dr. Pasha also mentioned the fact that St. Pete is such a walkable city, which makes it the perfect location for a downtown clinic where patients can simply walk in when they need care, 365 days a year.

In addition to the care and support they show the local community within their clinic daily, the team at Signature Urgent Care also reaches out to offer free health lectures and blood pressure screenings to schools and other organizations.

For easy-access, quality healthcare, you couldn’t ask for a more dedicated or friendly staff than the crew at Signature Urgent Care. They are located in the Signature Place building, between Fifth Third Bank and the space previously occupied by Z Grille restaurant, at 120 2nd Street South. For more information visit www.signatureurgentcare.com or call 727-851-9993.

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Event planning

USF St. Pete: Host Your Next Big Event Here

By Cindy Garza Ontkos

If you are looking to plan a private or corporate event in downtown St. Petersburg, you may not be aware of one amazing venue that’s right outside your door! Take a moment to get to know the University Student Center at USF St. Pete.

Built 5 years ago, the student center is a hub for the students, but it is also a large and versatile complex, with many different spaces available to rent for any kind of conference or event you may have in mind. The venue has already hosted a wide array of impressive events, such as the Guy Harvey Conference, high school proms, St. Anthony’s Hospital’s fundraiser gala, the ITAM Review USA Annual conference, holiday parties, summer camps, weddings and business seminars, to name a few.

three main ballrooms, which can be used separately or together as one grand ballroom—we’re talking a total of 7,490 square feet!—as well as six additional indoor spaces for meetings and the like. Guests have access to parking (at a fee), Wi-Fi and campus security; not to mention close proximity to all that downtown St. Pete has to offer in terms of dining and entertainment.

If you love the outdoors, you will not be disappointed! The student center is nestled on Bayboro Harbor, which is lovingly maintained by the students at USFSP. It’s a serene backdrop offering picturesque views of the water, boats and nature—in other words, the perfect setting for photos.

This venue is a no-brainer for businesses in the community looking to combine team learning with team building. Available by request is a private pool, kayaks, paddle boards, canoes and sailboats.

In addition to outdoor activities, during the summer they offer the extra amenity of 196 beds for your guests.

Weddings have become a very popular booking for the center as of late, which is not surprising with all that they have to offer. Couples have their choice of indoor and outdoor ceremony locations: down by the water; inside an intimate, plant-covered gazebo; or on stage in a grand ballroom, for example. There are just as many visually impressive spaces for cocktails and sit-down dinners.

A Sense of Community

Catering is offered exclusively by the university’s onsite caterer, with a variety of menus to choose from. Their event packages also include just about anything you could possibly need for your gathering, including audio and visual equipment, technical support, tables, chairs, dance floors and stages.

Spaces to Fit Every Need

When it comes to choosing a space for your event, you have many different options available at the University Student Center. There are

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Andy Dang, USFSP’s events coordinator, is proud to note that all of the revenue generated by facility rentals goes right back into maintaining and updating the building, and helping to keep the students’ fees down.

“This is their home away from home, a place to foster the development of our future leaders. Our vision is to see this become a thriving community center,” Dang said.

In the essence of promoting that sense of community, all USF alumni and alumni-owned businesses are extended a discount off the price of their event package.

Go ahead, plan your next big event at the University Student Center at USF St. Pete! The only limit is your imagination. Keep in mind the holiday season is officially upon us, so don’t waste any time to book your company’s holiday party.

For more information visit www.usfsp.edu/usc/, or contact Dang directly at andydang@mail.usf.edu or 727-873-5180.

Uplift St. Pete

The Balancing Act of the ThreeLegged Stool— Priest, Wife, Mom

By Molly Hunsinger via Neighborhood News Bureau

“God called me as Katie Churchwell, not as Katie Churchwell once she gets perfected in xyz areas,” said Rev. Canon Katie Churchwell.

Churchwell is a 32-year-old, wife, mother of two and an Episcopalian priest—one of two, full-time clergy at The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, in St. Petersburg, where she’s served as Canon for Community Formation since May, 2016. She’s petite and bubbly with platinum blonde dyed hair worn in a short pixie cut. The little tattoos that peek out behind her sandal straps, wristwatch and tanksleeved blouse seem more hip than priestly.

“She’s so cool and likeable,” said Amy Marshall, owner of Strands of Sunshine gift shop and board member of the Downtown Business Association (DBA), a board Churchwell serves on as secretary. “For someone who’s a priest, you kind of have this preconceived notion that you know, someone in ministry is going to be a certain way or maybe a little stuffy or pushing religion in your face, but she’s not like that at all.”

Marshall said she doesn’t know of any other churches that have ever joined the DBA. She thinks it’s pretty unique.

Churchwell’s boss agrees.

“I do think it’s unusual and it’s all Katie,” said The Very Rev. Stephen Morris. “In our tradition, we wear clerical collars,” he said.

But, “you need to be more comfortable with people. Just people.

Because we’re just people.”

Although Churchwell may not resemble the stereotypical priest, she’s very serious about her faith.

Ordained in 2011, Churchwell regularly performs traditional ministerial duties at the cathedral, such as providing counsel to church members, preaching sermons and teaching Sunday school classes. But her role is largely focused on community outreach—a brand new position at the church.

The ordination of women in the Episcopal Church began in the mid-1970s.

Churchwell said she thinks the ordination of women illustrates the Episcopal Church’s “three-legged stool” approach to faith—a balance of scripture, tradition and reason.

“If you remove one of the legs of the stool, the whole thing topples over,” Churchwell said. “Tradition may show us one thing, but then how do we incorporate reason into scripture and tradition?”

It’s clear that Churchwell takes on this approach in both her personal and professional life.

The home page of Churchwell’s personal blog, reverendkatie. com, bares the headline, “amma mama” followed by the sub headline, “priest, wife mom.”

“Amma in Hebrew means servant, but also means mother,” Churchwell said. “Some women clergy use it for their title, Amma Jane for example. I don’t use it as a title, but am drawn to the meaning of the word.”

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Since 2015, Churchwell has posted on her blog about everything from going to “sin city” Las Vegas during lent, to calling on her readers to pray for the cessation of gun violence.

“Justice is my passion,” Churchwell said. She feels it’s her role as a priest to use the authority and privilege of her position to help correct imbalances.

“Katie and her family walked in the St. Pete Pride Parade if I’m not mistaken,” Marshall said.

It’s true. In fact, Churchwell, her family and the cathedral all walked in the parade. The cathedral even had a booth at the festival.

Churchwell’s latest undertaking is bringing a program to St. Petersburg that provides health education, screenings and food access for communities deemed as food deserts called, Food Is Medicine.

The year-long program launched in the Campbell Park neighborhood in August.

“For me it’s a justice issue that people don’t have access to food,” Churchwell said recalling the bible story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. “He fed them really good food,” she said, not “condensed cream of celery that somebody didn’t want that’s expired.”

Know Someone Making a Difference in St. Pete?

We want to hear about it and possibly share their story as part of a new series, #UpliftStPete, featuring local Volunteers, First Responders, City Workers, Advocates— anyone making a positive impact on the community!

Email ashley@greenbenchmonthly.com to nominate someone to be featured in an upcoming issue.

#UpliftStPete

Uplift St. Pete

Safe Shelter from the Storm

By Nicole Brand

It was early September and the uncertainty of ‘Irma’geddon was looming thick in the air. Gas stations were selling out, replenishing their goods, and selling out again. Stores were stripped bare, roads were eerily vacant, and all across the county, panicked people placed storm shutters and plywood across their homes. Floridians all over the state were making tough calls when on Friday, September 8th at 6am, Pinellas County began issuing mandatory evacuations and then declared a local state of emergency. For some, deciding whether to stay or go was a complex matrix of pros and cons peppered with emotion and frantic phone calls from friends and family across the country. Others had no choice but to leave their homes and if they were in the Pinellas County area, many ended up seeking refuge in one of the sixteen emergency shelters across the county.

(Enter Stage Right, a Pinellas County high school transformation) At noon on Friday, September 8th, Gibbs High School began the complex transformation from a nexus of learning for South County residents to a safe haven for the vulnerable few who stayed behind. Gibbs High School was now in hurricane crisis mode, but the threat of crisis couldn’t be found on a single face of the brave and brilliant crew within the shelter. School faculty and staff worked hard to create a sense of calm and establish a safe zone for the over three hundred evacuees who sought shelter. From Friday to Monday,

a seamless operation went into play under the guidance of Principal Reuben Hepburn, and many were inspired to join in and assist this group of heroes who committed to working tirelessly for their community and for their city.

Pastor Jen Jennings was one of these volunteers. Her church rents space from Gibbs High School on Sundays and when news of the shelter opening made it to Pastor Jen, she gathered volunteers and headed in to assist with logistics on Saturday and Sunday. She was astounded by the commitment of the staff and faculty. “Nobody was complaining,” she said. Conditions weren’t perfect and the hours were extreme, but she noted that “It speaks a lot to the environment Principle Hepburn fosters there.”

In the end, Irma wasn’t Tampa Bay’s worst case scenario. If that scenario ever arrives, you can be certain to seek refuge with the courageous men and women running a tight ship over at Gibbs.

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Local Business

Smith & Associates: Helping Customers Find Their Own Unique Luxury

By Alan Venable

When it comes to the luxury real estate market in the Tampa Bay area, Smith & Associates Real Estate is a name to know. The company estimates they’ll sell more than $1.5 billion in luxury homes and properties in the area this year, a number they can only achieve by being focused, first and foremost, on the individual needs of their customers.

Luxury Lifestyles

Smith & Associates Real Estate has a mission to help fulfill the vision of the life their customers dream of living.

Amy Seeks, Vice President of Real Estate Services at Smith & Associates, explained how it accomplishes its promise to customers: “Sometimes it’s through helping them maximize the value of a home they have to sell.

Sometimes it’s finding whatever they define as their luxury in a home. For each person it’s different, and it’s all important,” Seeks said.

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Smith & Associates covers a lot of ground in the area, and has a long history in Tampa Bay. Seeks said, “We have been in St. Petersburg for almost 15 years, following our first office in South Tampa almost 50 years ago.” In addition, Smith has other offices in Largo, Westchase, and will soon open their newest office in Treasure Island.

The agency was originally founded in 1968 by Mary Smith Conover. Over time, Smith & Associates has become one of the most trusted agencies in the area, and today is one of the few independent, luxury brokerages in Florida.

Community Roots

Smith is passionate about the Tampa Bay community, and pride themselves on building and maintaining a healthy environment for area residents.

Seeks said that they help literally hundreds of organizations through sponsorships, as well as by serving on boards, charity

Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Beach Drive’s first mural at Smith & Associates’ Downtown office located at 330 Beach Drive. Mural by Derek Donnelly. events and being involved at a grass roots level.

“We are well known in the arts community in St. Petersburg.

However, we help in other areas, such as feeding and clothing children through the Kind Mouse and Clothes to Kids, working with Big Brothers/Big Sisters to grow smart new leaders, and supporting the efforts of CASA to keep families safe.”

Smith has never lost sight of the community that has supported their success over the years, and they understand that strengthening the local community only makes it even more attractive to current and future home buyers.

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Smith and Associates share that “The culture in each of our locations is very different. In St. Petersburg it’s inclusive, supportive and casual, with a flair for style. Our agents not only work in St. Petersburg, but they live here as well, so we’re very knowledgable about the lifestyle, and are very good at sharing with those new to the area what that means.”

Why should a potential home buyer or seller in St. Pete choose Smith & Associates?

“The agents here are the smartest, most caring people I know,” Seeks said. “They are in it for the long game, and know that their reputation within the community matters, so they perform as such.

They are passionate about their work they do and proud to be a part of the Smith family ” Smith & Associates Real Estate is located at 1100 4th Street North and at 330 Beach Drive in St. Petersburg. For more information, please visit www.smithandassociates.com or call 727-342-3800.

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Designing a Dining Room

By Tampa Bay Furnishings If you’ve been on the fence about redecorating your dining room, now is the time to make the decision. From Thanksgiving and after, the dining room takes center stage. So what better time is there to change things up a bit? Here are some tips to get you started:

Usage

It can be the spot for family dinner every night or lay dormant until special occasions. Before you redecorate, it’s best to consider how this space will be used.

Layout

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want at least 3 feet of space between the table and the wall. Everyone at the dinner table should have at minimum 23 inches of space, or 30 inches if the chairs have arms.

Picking the Right Table

For smaller rooms you’ll want to go with a round table as it will give you the most surface area for people to dine. Square shaped tables also work for small spaces, and they can add a modern touch.

With larger spaces, you’ll want to go with the long rectangular or oval shaped tables.

Getting Creative with Seating

Here are some ways to get the seating right: • Scale - 10 to 12 inches, from seat to table top, is the most comfortable for the average diner.

• Consistency - Even if you are into the mismatching trend, make sure that there is something that unifies the pieces.

• Think Beyond Chairs - There are many great examples of dining rooms using everything from stools to even ottomans for seating.

Lighting Fixtures

When selecting lighting, go with circular fixtures for round tables, and linear fixtures for longer shapes. Either way, they should be a foot shorter than the table in all directions. Linear fixtures should run about ⅓ to ⅔ the length of the table. Regardless of type, always make sure the light lines up with the center of the table.

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

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / OCTOBER 2017

news

Downtown Developments

Photo by Jared Cordova

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.

Datz, one of the most popular restaurants in Tampa, has decided to cross the pond and open a location in Downtown St. Pete. With their crazy comfort food in tow, Datz will debut inside the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, currently under construction at 180 Central Avenue. The 7,700 square foot restaurant will seat 150 hungry patrons inside and another 100 outside. Owners Suzanne and Roger Perry have also teamed up with celebrity chef and Food Network regular Ray Lampe to open up Dr. BBQ’s in St. Pete’s EDGE District this fall.

Try Wine, a self-serve wine bar, has relocated to the corner of Central Avenue and First Street South in the NW Corner of Bayfront Tower. The locally-owned wine bar features 88 wines on tap and a retail store with over 600 wines to choose from. The new location boasts a larger space, allowing room for an expanded food menu. Additionally, Try Wine is now the first retailer in Florida to start selling delectable artisan chocolates by the renowned fine dining chef turned master chocolatier, Christopher Elbow.

A St. Pete Beach favorite for breakfast and lunch, The Frog Pond Restaurant, opened in Downtown St. Pete this month. Famous for their amazing eggs benedict, gigantic omelettes and delicious belgian waffles, The Frog Pond offers a refreshingly affordable menu that is sure to have something for everyone. Hop into their new location at 890 3rd Avenue South, inside Webb’s Plaza. Frog Pond is open from 7am-2pm, Monday through Saturday and 8am2pm on Sunday.

ArtsXchange, featured in the May issue of Green Bench Monthly, is celebrating their grand opening on October 26th. As a way to combat rising rent, The Warehouse Arts District Association spearheaded efforts to build affordable gallery space for local artists.

Over 2,500 square feet of gallery, education, and event space will support 24 artists in disciplines ranging from painting, photography, journalism, jewelry making, sculpture and more! And this is just the first phase! Future plans may involve the construction of a performance space, a recording studio, and possibly a restaurant and/or brewery.

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ArtsXchange is located at 515 22nd Street South.

The Woodhouse Day Spa will be joining Datz at the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art. Occupying nearing 6,000 square feet along 1st Street South, the upscale spa will offer a wide range of services such as skin care, waxings, massage therapy, sleep treatments, as well as their signature manicure and pedicures.

Woodhouse is expected to open this Spring.

Parking in Downtown St. Pete is about to get a little easier. City Council has approved plans to bring Parker, a mobile app, to the Sunshine City. On-street sensors will alert drivers when parking spaces are available, hopefully cutting down on the amount of time drivers spend trying to find parking. The company behind the new app, Streetline, will begin installing the sensors in the next 2-3 months. The city estimates that drivers will be able to start using the service in about 6 months.

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

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Events

Bungalowfest 2016

By Kelly Nash Photography

Saturday Morning Market 15th Season

When: Every Saturday, 9am - 2pm Where: Al Lang Stadium Parking Lot, 230 1st St SE, 33701 Cost: Free Admission Every Saturday (minus the summer months) join the community for a huge farmer’s market located in the parking lot at Al Lang Stadium. Fresh, local, organic vegetables, fruit, local craft vendors and live music.

For more information visit saturdaymorningmarket.com

BungalowFest 2017

When: Nov 4th, 10am - 4pm Where: Seminole Park, 29th St N and 3rd Ave N, 33713 Cost: $20 Southwest Florida’s premier architectural home tour returns for its 19th season! This year’s exciting inside /outside experience explores architectural diversity and showcases 11 homes spotlighting our urban rebirth and the phenomenon of living large in small spaces. Craftsman Bungalows, Tudor, Four Square and Mid-Century Modern homes are all featured. The tour additionally includes the neighborhoods first

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Public Art Installation of the Artist Enclave of Historic Kenwood and local artists with painted benches in the park!

Tickets are available on line at www.bungalowfest.org, or at the Craftsman House Gallery at 2955 Central Avenue.

87th Annual Fish Broil

When: Nov 5th, 1pm - 6pm Where: Horan Park, 7701 Boca Ciega Dr, 33706 Cost: Free Admission Join us for the 87th anniversary of this historic event! We’ve got all sorts of goodies in store for this year’s event, including loads of entertainment and fun; featuring Live Music, Original Artwork, Silent Auction Items, 50/50 Raffle, and a FREE Kids’ Fishing Tournament hosted by Gulf to Bay Bait & Tackle.

There’s so much more in store, and so many good times to be had. Can’t wait to see you there!

For more info, visit fishbroil.com.

2017 General Election When: Nov 7th, 7am - 7pm Where: Pinellas County Polling Booths (see website for locations) Cost: N/A The Publishers of Green Bench Monthly vote ‘YES’ on the Ten (10)

GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / OCTOBER 2017

Year Extension of the Penny for Pinellas. This tax helps support infrastructure repairs and upgrades, water quality, and much more. Its important to note a third of the 1% sales tax (not collected on groceries or medications) is paid for by visitors and tourists.

Also up on the ballot are Mayor and Council Seats in Districts 2,4, and 6. Local elections count! Make sure your voice is heard. See you at polls!

For a sample ballot, polling places and other general voter information visit www.votepinellas.com

The Children’s Hour at St. Pete High

When: Nov 9th -11th at 7pm Where: Auditorium Theater, 2501 5th Ave N, 33713 Cost: $8 Students, $12 Adults When Mary, a troubled young girl, accuses her teachers, Martha Dobie and Karen Wright, of being homosexuals, their lives quickly unravel. Set in a fictional New England town in the 1930’s, The Children’s Hour tells the story of these two young women as they fight in court against Amelia Tilford, a prominent town member that

happens to be Mary’s grandmother, and the lies she spreads about them.

Fearful parents remove their children from the school, ruining the women’s careers and reputations. As they tirelessly strive for justice, Martha and Karen discover shocking truths and feelings within themselves and are sent even further into despair.

In this drama, playwright Lillian Hellman highlights the dangers of intolerance, dishonesty, and bullying.

The devious Mary Tilford is played by Georgia Rosen while Jadyn Gonzales plays Ms. Amelia Tilford, her wealthy, dignified grandmother. Vanessa Reyes returns to the stage as the high-strung Martha Dobie and Dominika Dzurny acts as the compassionate, soon to be married Karen Wright.

Mason Weaver is the role of Joseph Cardin, a town doctor and Karen’s easy-going fiancé. Skylaa Richardson portrays the flamboyant Aunt Lily Mortar, a self-centered teacher and former stage actress.

The ensemble playing the school girls bring individuality and zest to their characters, completing the talented cast.

Tech Directors Alec Pent and Leah Colon, their crews, and set designer Scott Durspek, transform the stage into a modest boarding

school and into the stately Tilford home. Kayla Schleich, pulls double duty as the no-nonsense maid Agatha and as Student Director.

This show is directed by St. Pete High’s wonderful theatre director, Trish Grunz.

Handicap seating is available.

Productions funded by ticket and concession sales, grants and support from referendum funds.

Details about this event submitted by Jadyn Gonzales.

For more info, visit stpetehightheatre.com

Basel or Bust Fundraiser

When: Nov 11th, 8pm Where: Bar@548, 548 Central Ave, 33701 Cost: $10 The St. Pete Cultural Outsourcing Initiative presents: Basel or Bust—A fundraising event to send St. Petersburg artists ZuluPainter, Aurailieus Artist, BrookLyn, and John Suarez to Miami during Art Basel to make murals and noise. Artists will auction off their work and hold a 30 plus piece art raffle. Also look for a limited edition coloring book by Aurailieus Artist.

All proceeds go directly to sending these artists to Art Basel Miami to

showcase their art. This event brings in over 70,000 visitors annually and is a cross sampling of the global art world, bringing over 250 art galleries from around the world to showcase the art of over 4,000 artists.

About The St. Pete Cultural Outsourcing Initiative: We believe in our local artists. We want to shine a light on our creative culture effectively showing the world what is special and unique about what was already here all along. We want the local artists of St. Pete to become the next big names. We want to lift up our creative community and let them be the draw - let them be the reason we are considered a destination for the arts.

Et Cultura - Music, Film, Art, Makers, Yoga, Interactive Festival

When: Nov 15th - 19th Where: Downtown St. Pete Cost: $75 General Admission A multi-day festival, with 4 curated branches; INTERACTIVE, MUSIC, FILM, ART - brings innovators, musicians, filmmakers & artists to exchange ideas & showcase their work alongside local artists & leaders in a signature event hosted in St. Petersburg, FL- one of the fastest OCTOBER 2017 /

growing arts & innovation cities in America!

For more information, visit etcultura.com.

First Annual St. Pete Run Fest

When: Nov 18th - 19th Where: Downtown and Waterfront Cost: $20-$110 Registration Fee St. Pete Run Fest is two full days of festival fun, including running events, a Health & Wellness Market, local food, music and craft beer from 3 Daughters Brewing. With distances for kids, beginners and seasoned runners, there’s plenty to entertain the entire family in the Sunshine City- St. Petersburg, Florida.

For more info, visit stpeterunfest.org.

Dance in the Gardens When: Nov 19th, 1pm - 2pm Where: Sunken Gardens, 1825 4th St N, 33701 Cost: Free with Garden Admission or Membership Experience a special performance by members of the Pinellas Dance Collective in our shaded amphitheater. No preregistration required.

For more information, visit stpete.org/sunken

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GREENBENCHMONTHLY.COM / OCTOBER 2017