Thanks, moms inside
by Kerry O’Reilly
This edition of Bay magazine marks the end of an era. Our talented and dedicated editor, Kathy Saunders, has retired. I’d like to thank Kathy for being the voice of Bay for many years and wish her peace and enjoyment in her next chapter. In many ways, Kathy was a mother figure in her role: always guiding, organizing and motivating the team to do its best work in service of our readers. I’m happy to share that she has agreed to contribute a story to Bay from time to time.
While we’re sad to say goodbye to Kathy as editor, we’re excited about the new voices and columns we’ve got in store. In this issue, you’ll read a story on the sailing and social club the Salty Sisters from our newest contributor Nanette Wiser.
Next month, we’ll turn this column over to our readers and contributors to share your favorite summertime dishes. Email me your recipe at koreilly@tampabay.com and share which special dish you like to prepare and serve for summertime parties, or the festive cocktail you plan to mix up for guests. We’ll pick a few to run in June!
Lastly, happy Mother’s Day to all the moms who contribute to Bay magazine, from our sales and support team to our designers Lisa Schillinger and Nausheen Syed-Ali. Enjoy your special day!
▲ 34 MOTHER’S DAY
Four notable Tampa Bay mother-and-daughter duos share what makes their relationships so special. Photo by Brian James.
▲ 8 FOUND IT
Enjoy six must-have local finds, from a luxe nautical watch to pet and yacht couture.
▲ 12 BOATING
Luxury boat dealers in Tampa Bay share the latest innovations in multimillion-dollar yachts.
18 YACHT CLUB
Members of the Pasadena Yacht & Country Club Cruising Fleet have fun on, in and around the water.
▲ 24 PROFILE
In 2026, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club’s all-woman sailing group, the Salty Sisters, celebrates 75 years of friendship and sailing.
42 BOOKS SCENE
Louise Erdrich’s short story collection, “Python’s Kiss,” weaves together the heartbreaking and the hilarious.
▲ 44 ARTS SCENE
Explore renowned artist Jun Kaneko’s largerthan-life sculptures at the Tampa Museum of Art this month.
48 SOCIAL SCENE
Kathy Saunders, retiring Bay editor, and Kerry O’Reilly, Bay general manager. Photo by Brian James.
Ali Banisadr:
Bay is published monthly by Times Publishing Co. and delivered to Tampa Bay Times subscribers in select neighborhoods in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Copyright 2026. Vol. 19, No. 5.
GENERAL MANAGER KERRY O’REILLY | koreilly@tampabay.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR LISA SCHILLINGER | lschillinger@tampabay.com
Graphic Designer Nausheen Syed-Ali
Copy Editor Erin Murphy Imaging & Production Brian Baracani
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Ali Banisadr (b 1976), These fragments I have shored against my ruins (detail), 2023 oil on linen, 86 x 180 in Mohammed Afkhami Foundation Photography by Genevieve Hanson © Ali Banisadr
Generous support provided by
Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist is organized by the Katonah Museum of Art
This exhibition is curated by Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, Director and Chief Curator, Katonah Museum of Art
Sultry sailors
High-seas style
fBY NANETTE WISER
rom a luxe nautical watch to pet and yacht couture, these must-have local finds will elevate your cruise IQ.
Anchors aweigh
These radiant anchor pavé cubic zirconia earrings are set in genuine .925 sterling silver. Landing Company, 282 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, or 12949 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach. $180. landingcompany.com.
Sashay gracefully on deck in wanderlustinspired fashion, such as this sea-sational asymmetrical halter midi dress. The Elise coverup dress is crafted from water-safe crepe and transitions effortlessly from beach cover-up to candlelight dinner-ready attire. Perfect with a pair of Gucci or Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses! Jackie Z Style Co., 113 Second Ave. N., St. Petersburg. $425. jackiezstyle.com.
Star-struck
Pair the anchor earrings with this elegant Siesta starfish genuine 14-karat yellow gold necklace with a pavé diamond inlay dangling on an elegant 14-karat gold cable chain. Landing Company, 282 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, or 12949 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach. $2,299. landingcompany.com.
Bay bowsers
Say nay to dog overboard with this Monterey Bay offshore life jacket, the only canine life jacket made specifically for boaters. Its features keep your dog upright in rough seas, thanks to outrigger pontoons, enhanced chest flotation and torso support as well as high-visibility colors, 360-degree reflective panels, and a saltwater-resistant D-ring for attaching a leash. West Marine, 2010 Tyrone Blvd. N., St. Petersburg, and 3905 W. Cypress St., Tampa. $75. westmarine.com.
Shady business
Beloved for fishing and boating because of their durable lenses and excellent water-glare reduction, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim and Costa sunglasses may not be the luxe look for cruising St. Barts. Enter Etnia Barcelona’s colorful designs with natural acetate and mineral lenses, such as these stunning tortoiseshell Sylys glasses in Havana. Optik! European Eyewear, 300 Beach Drive NE, Suite 115, St. Petersburg. optikstpete.com.
Watch out
Meet any seafaring challenge with this German-made stainless steel Mühle-Glashütte S.A.R. Rescue-Timer men’s timepiece, water-resistant to 100 bars. The captains in the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service inspired its function and design, featuring characteristic surface finishes, an intensely luminous black dial, heavy-duty crystal and a 38-hour power reserve. Old Northeast Jewelers, 1131 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, or 1607 W. Swann Ave., Tampa. $2,699. oldnortheastjewelers.com.
Cruise control
BY KATHY SAUNDERS
What does a buyer in the market for a multimillion-dollar yacht want for their money? We asked several luxury boat dealers in the Tampa Bay area what their clients are looking for these days.
High-tech yachting
Steve Gale, Tampa Bay sales manager for Galati Yacht Sales, sells a variety of new and used yachts, including brands like Viking, Valhalla, Princess, Prestige, MJM and Absolute. Most of the sales he negotiates are for models ranging in price from $600,000 to upwards of $13 million, as well as megayachts that can sell for $50 million to $60 million. Based in Anna Maria with a location off Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg and others throughout the state and
elsewhere in the country, Gale said Galati “has a boat for whatever you are enthusiastic about.”
“This is a very active market. The Gulf provides great sport fishing and it’s a good tournament circuit,” he said. For those boaters, top-notch navigation is a must. While satellite phones can do the job, boaters now have the option of connecting to a Starlink Maritime system, enabling cell and internet service anywhere in the world.
“Starlink has made it very affordable to be connected on your cellphone,” he said. “You can stream while you are offshore.”
The addition of boat stabilizers has also been a game changer in yacht performance, Gale said.
“There’s not a yacht that’s on the water now that’s not using gyro stabilizers,” he said. “It’s basically a big disc spinning inside a steel vacuum, and it
Designed to surprise, the 2027 Inace Aventura 106 features six staterooms and is available for $10,357,594 through Galati Yacht Sales. Photo courtesy of Galati Yacht Sales.
stabilizes the yacht, making it very comfortable. The anti-roll devices cut down on almost all the side-to-side movements on the boat when it is at sea or docked, no matter how choppy the waters.”
Day- and night-vision cameras on board and docking systems with joysticks have also changed the function of yachts.
“You press a button and the boat actually goes into a docking mode
and is very easy to manipulate,” Gale said. “With the help of cameras, you are able to guide the boat like a car with the reverse lines so that you can ease the boat back into a slip. You can lock the boat into position while you go out and get the lines.” For more information, visit galatiyachts.com.
Fit and finish
Ryan Wallace has been selling luxury yachts for the Viage Group for the past 10 years. Based at the Loggerhead
Marina in St. Petersburg, the company has five locations along the west coast of Florida. Wallace sells brands like Scout, Beneteau powerboats, ChrisCraft and Navan, ranging in price from $50,000 to $7 million. Fit and finish are the key words luxury yacht buyers use when looking for high-end features.
“I think that the customers who are buying a product of that magnitude drive nice cars and live in nice houses.
The breezeway of a Scout 670 LXS. Photo courtesy of Viage Group.
Fit and finish, I would say, are the most important things,” Wallace said.
Boat manufacturers in the luxury market pay extra attention to “areas of the boat that are typically overlooked, like the bilge access, the internals of the boat,” he said.
“The wiring on these boats is nice and tidy. The bilge areas are nice and clean, and they are laid out properly
and stuff is labeled. When you close a door, it actually closes and is not rubbing because it’s offset,” he added. For example, all the screws on the Scout yachts are pointed in the same direction.
“It’s something small and simple, but it makes a difference,” Wallace said.
Heated helm seats, veneer cabinets and high-quality upholstery go without saying on a luxury yacht. But the fit and finish go beyond just looks, Wallace allowed — they make the overall integrity of the boat more durable. For more information, visit viagegroup.com.
Customer experience
David Bair of Quality Boats specializes in selling 18-foot powerboats all the way up to 60-foot yachts. The brands, including Barletta, Everglades, GradyWhite, Pursuit, Regal, Sea Pro and Tiara, generally sell from $50,000 to upwards of $3 million to $7 million.
“Our bread and butter is really in that 28-foot to 50-foot boat. Those are the boats that are conducive to the west coast of Florida,” he said.
“With those boats, you can still go to Frenchy’s and the Island Way Grill and to Gasparilla,” Bair said, adding that larger boats are often too long to dock in some spaces and require deeper water.
“Some of the bigger yachts might draw 6 feet of water and above, and that really is too much draft for our area,” he said.
Bair said his buyers expect the bells and whistles of luxury boats but often need more of the concierge services and quality that other dealers offer.
“Most of our customers are those type A personalities and it’s really about the experience. They run companies or are successful in business, but they need somebody to give them the full
The 2027 RMK Marine Orca 58M is available through Galati Yacht Sales. Photo courtesy of Galati Yacht Sales.
A 35-foot Chris-Craft Calypso available from Viage Group. Photo courtesy of Viage Group.
commitment and support,” he said.
“They need concierge services to help them plan a trip or a lunch outing. We have a cruise club that handles that, and we have two full-time captains and a couple of marketing people who get dock reservations for lunch or for different resorts,” he said.
“We will go to Tampa Marriott or Longboat Key Club Moorings or Venice, and we’ll arrange the dock space for them.
“These boats are very pricey, and it’s sometimes the second- or third-biggest purchase they have ever made; it’s more expensive than their cars and some homes,” Bair said. “We’re there when they need help, even if they don’t know they need it.” For more information, visit qualityboats.com.
A Scout 670 LXS yacht. Photo courtesy of Viage Group.
A 30-foot Chris-Craft Catalina. Photo courtesy of Viage Group.
ANTONIETTI MARINE Building More Than a Dealership
For more than 20 years, Antonietti Marine has helped Florida boaters get on the water safely and affordably, but the story behind the business is about so much more than selling and repairing boats. It is about building a reputation, serving people the right way, and creating something meaningful that can last for generations.
From the beginning, Antonietti Marine was built to reflect the family behind it their reputation, their values and their commitment to doing right by people The dealership was built on relationships, trust and accountability the belief that customers should be able to work directly with people who genuinely care about their experience from start to finish.
Antonietti Marine has always believed that being local means more than having a location on the map. It means being involved, supporting worthwhile causes and giving back to the same community that has helped the business grow.
At the heart of Antonietti Marine is a family that lives the boating lifestyle, understands what time on the water means and believes every customer should be treated like one of their own. The family photos included on these two pages reflect the heart behind the business and the values that guide it every day. Due to those values, Antonietti Marine has always believed that being local means more than having a location on the map. It means being involved, supporting worthwhile
The Antonietti family.
causes and giving back to the same community that has helped the business grow
That perspective shapes how Antonietti Marine looks at success. Of course, growth and industry recognition matter The company has earned awards and marketplace credibility over the years, including top Bayliner recognition and multiple CSI honors But the real measure of success is found in the reputation the dealership has built, the trust customers place in the team and the legacy being created one relationship at a time.
Today, with locations in Hudson and Riverview, Antonietti Marine continues to grow while staying true to the values it was built on Customers can find sales, service, parts and support, but the real difference is this: the feeling that they are dealing with
people who stand behind what they do That matters in boating where service, trust and long-term support are every bit as important as the initial purchase.
That is what makes this story more than a business profile. Antonietti Marine is a family business in the truest sense: built with pride, shaped by relationships and driven by the belief that its best chapters are still ahead.
SET SAIL
BY KATHY SAUNDERS
bout 10 years ago, Jeffrey Plummer was looking to revisit a few of his hobbies to escape some rough seas in his personal life. He set out in search of some mates who shared his love of boating, and he found refuge among the members of the Pasadena Yacht & Country Club Cruising Fleet. The fleet’s motto: “Having fun: on, in and around the water.”
For two years, Plummer served as the group’s captain and later helmed the fleet for four years as commodore, organizing trips and events to increase membership. Today, the fleet includes more than 220 individuals with a social calendar that pays homage to its motto. The boaters set out on an average of eight trips a year to marinas in Florida and the Bahamas. Ashore, they gather regularly for social events around the Gulfport club’s pool bar, as well as during an annual Poker Run, a Commodore’s Ball and other themed dinners. The group also enjoys regular evening “docktails.”
Plummer and his wife, Julie, join most of the cruising trips on their 45-foot Silverton yacht, Loving Life II.
Karen and Steve Boike. Mark and Jody Eber and Ashlyn and Dan Pratt don “Gilligan’s Island”-themed outfits at Rock the Boat 2026. Photos courtesy of Brian Schmitz.
Clockwise from top: The Blessing of the Fleet with Deacon Richard Santello and Brian Schmitz. Suzie and Brian Schmitz in Boca Grande in 2023. Rodger Meads, Erinne Mickle, and
“The common interest is we love the water and we love the boating,” Plummer said.
“The cruising fleet has been a great vehicle for (members) to connect with other likeminded people.”
All fleet members must be members of the Pasadena Yacht & Country Club, and many, like Plummer, are also members of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, giving them reciprocal docking privileges with other yacht clubs regionally and nationwide. The fleet members pay $150 a year to join the club within the Pasadena yacht club. Those fees go toward trip costs and refreshments for the cruises.
While a majority of the members own boats, it’s not a requirement to join the fleet.
“We’ve had members join with two WaveRunners, and we’ve had members
Members of the Pasadena Yacht & Country Club Cruising Fleet enjoy a dip in the Gulf on a recent day trip. Photo courtesy of Brian Schmitz.
“The common interest is we love the water and we love the boating.”
join without a boat because they love the ‘docktails’ and they have fun,” Plummer said.
Most of the cruising destinations also offer hotels for members who want to ride along with friends and stay ashore or drive to the locations to join the activities.
This year, the fleet has cruised to Bradenton, Fort Myers, Clearwater and Boca Grande. Trips to Longboat Key, Venice and Useppa Island are planned for this summer and fall.
Former Commodore Brian Schmitz and his wife, Suzie, relocated to the Tampa Bay area from Fort Lauderdale when they retired. They enjoy the calmer waters of the Gulf, compared to the Atlantic Ocean, and what they consider a “more relaxed boating lifestyle” with the cruising fleet.
One of their favorite destinations on their 44-foot Aquila catamaran, Sea Señora, is Boca Grande.
“Our annual trip there typically becomes our largest flotilla, often filling the slips at Boca Grande Marina and extending to nearby accommodations and additional members,”
Sea Señora at Brian and Suzie Schmitz’s home. Photo courtesy of Brian Schmitz.
Charlie and Lana Schafer, Jim Thull, Anne Pankratz, Becky Purple, David Pankratz, and Suzie and Brian Schmitz visit the Clearwater Harbor Marina. Photo courtesy of Brian Schmitz.
Schmitz said, adding that 58 yacht club members joined that weekend outing last year.
During the group’s dayslong getaways, Plummer said a group of boaters who travel the same speed usually cruises together, helping each other navigate and offering support if anything goes wrong on the way.
“You’ll find there is so much knowledge with all these boaters that any time you have an issue, they help each other,” he said. “It’s hard to say in words, but it’s a really special situation.”
Schmitz said being part of the fleet has helped him and fellow cruisers “sharpen their boating skills, build confidence and expand their nautical horizons — all while traveling alongside friends.”
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Fleet members at the Twin Dolphin Marina in Bradenton in 2024. Photo courtesy of Brian Schmitz.
Jeffrey and Julie Plummer’s 45-foot Silverton yacht, Loving Life II. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Plummer.
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Sea-sational sailors
The St. Petersburg Yacht Club’s Salty Sisters celebrate 75 years of friendship and sailing.
BY NANETTE WISER | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE
SALTY SISTERS
or the Salty Sisters, Wednesdays are sacred. If weather permits, they meet to sail at the St. Petersburg Sailing Center by Demens Landing, then gather for lunch and card games at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. It’s never dull and is always about sailing and sisterhood.
In 2026, the Salties celebrate 75 years of friendship, sailing and smashing stories, both funny and poignant. The all-woman sailing group mixes sailing, training and camaraderie with high-seas competitions. The group also promotes women in competitive sailing, hosts holiday fundraisers for local charities, organizes sailing committees, and supports regattas
and races here and all over the world. And the post-regatta bubbly? Still sipping after all these years.
How did it all begin? The original Skipperettes in the ’40s enjoyed sailing with their hubbies for fun as members of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. In 1951, under the guidance of W.W. “Doc” Jennings, the founding 10 members formed the Salty Sisters, an organization originally for the wives of yacht club members. In 1956, the group expanded its membership to include any female St. Petersburg Yacht Club member 21 or older. The club is believed to be the first organized women’s sailing group in the nation.
The group’s objective was to learn the principles of sailing and to sail small boats in sessions each
Wednesday afternoon after lunch at the yacht club. What started as racing prams and Sunfish sailing has evolved into sailing primarily International Optimist Dinghies and Ideal 18s, but the fleet also includes Sonars, 420s and the newest addition, J/70s. In addition to serious racing, each sailing season also includes some norules fun pram races, such as the Salty Sisters’ annual holiday Candy Cane Regatta.
Based out of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, the group’s members include notable Tampa Bay women past and present, including former Miss Florida Jan Hunter.
Other Salties include philanthropist Nancy Westphal, who joined because her mom, Katherine “Kitty” Safford, is an original Salty (and at 94, the longest living resident on Beach Drive since 1978); Sherry
Salties rig the Hagerty prams in 1952.
Welch and Susan Wallace (who competed in the prestigious Snipe Women’s Nationals and Snipe Women’s World races in Japan and Spain); Lynne Jewell Shore and Allison Jolly (winners of the first women’s Olympic sailing gold medal; Jolly still coaches sailing at the University of South Florida); and, of course, Paralympian sailor Jennifer French (who won the silver medal in sailing at the 2012 Paralympic Games).
Forever feisty and breaking barriers, the Salties helped launch the Florida Women’s Sailing Association and compete against each other as well as in interclub regattas and the two major association-sponsored regattas: the fall Championship Regatta, for keelboats sailed with crew; and the Rainbow Regatta in the spring, for International Optimist Dinghies, Clearwater prams and Sunfish.
THE OCEAN RACE 2027
The Salty Sisters always lend a hand at regattas and races based at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, and on May 4-16, 2027, it will be all hands on deck in downtown St. Petersburg. The Ocean Race, an iconic fully crewed offshore sailing race, is adding a new chapter: a spectacular trans-Atlantic leg departing from St. Petersburg-Clearwater and arriving in Cascais, Portugal, as part of the landmark 15th edition of the race next year.
This is the first time in the legendary event’s 54-year history that the Sunshine State’s Gulf Coast will serve as a race port, and the leg will connect two of the world’s most celebrated sailing destinations across 4,500 nautical miles of open Atlantic Ocean. The exciting Ocean Live Park race village will welcome visitors from around the globe and will be based at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club in partnership with the University of South Florida, home to one of the United States’ leading marine science programs and ocean health research efforts. The International Monohull Open Class Association fleet (60-foot foiling sailboats) will be berthed at the waterfront by USF during the stopover.
Founding Salty Sisters Eleanor Ellis, Ruth Rifley, Dottie Lang and Joey Powell launch a Hagerty Sea Shell pram in the 1950s.
Sailors compete in a previous edition of The Ocean Race. Photo courtesy of The Ocean Race.
Salties prepare for the 2011 Florida Women’s Sailing Association’s Championship Regatta.
Every Salty Sister has a fascinating backstory. Current Capt. Mik Severini moved with her husband from New York City to St. Petersburg in 2019.
“We joined the St. Pete Yacht Club, and about 50 people told me, ‘You have got to join the Salty Sisters.’ I was not a sailor, but they told me, ‘They will teach you how to sail in a single-handed boat and a crewed boat.’ At the time I was looking for a network of women and to make some friends and have fun,” she recalled.
“I started sailing with them in 2020, and it was the best decision I could (have) ever made. A Sunfish is still my favorite boat.”
Past Capt. Jennifer Parramore loved the water and boating but never learned to sail.
“I grew up in Florida, so when my husband and I settled in St. Petersburg, our younger son joined the summer sailing camp. My husband and I volunteered on the junior regatta, really enjoyed it, loved the people we met, and we belonged to the St. Pete Yacht Club. When I retired, I joined the Salty Sisters and learned how to sail (and) run a race, and now I’m a professional race officer. It’s my passion and avocation,” said Parramore, who was the Pinellas County film commissioner for over 20 years.
After 75 years, the group is now over 130 members strong, celebrating holidays with hijinks, frisky names for races (Not a Mama, The Misfits), and charms dangling from beloved bracelets for every win and occasion (slippers for flipping your boat for the first time).
“To be a member, you have to apply, and if accepted, learn to sail and compete for two years, but you’re always a Salty even if you’re not jibing and tacking. Those members still come to our lunch meetings, the annual cruise and other social events,” Parramore said.
The Salty Sisters are committed to continuing education, both on and off the water, with classes in racing rules, protests,
tactics, sail rigging, starting line strategy and nautical signal flags as well as race management. They also support future sailors of tomorrow, especially women, in funding their training and supporting their races, including the Valentine’s Day Regatta, where 375 kids compete annually on Tampa Bay.
Philanthropy is another big part of the Salties’ mission.
“We sponsor a large Christmas Boutique at SPYC to raise funds for junior sailing at the St. Pete Sailing Center, including scholarships for summer sailing camps. We also support Warrior Sailing and other events for disabled sailors. We contribute to multiple local charities through our holiday donation program, including (the) Music Sweet (Music) nonprofit and more,” Parramore and Severini said.
The Salty Sisters recently held their Memorial Regatta on May 6 in recognition of their 75th anniversary, with former Salties in attendance. The regatta was held in honor of the Salties who have passed on to the big regatta in the sky.
Said Parramore: “We’ve never held a regatta like this in the past, but we felt this tribute would be very special to all the Salties in this milestone year.”
Sail on Salties, sail on.
Visit saltysisters.org to learn more about the Salty Sisters.
Current Salty Sisters enjoy a cruise in honor of the group’s 75th anniversary.
Bonnie Rowe, first Capt. Betty Jennings and Lillian Rees in 1952.
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Like mother,
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Bay is featuring some notable moms who have made a difference in our community. While their own mothers may have set
Terrie and Taylor Daniel.
like daughter
BY KATHY SAUNDERS PHOTOS BY BRIAN JAMES
the foundation for their successes, it’s clear they are passing along those same service-focused qualities to their own children. We asked them what makes their relationships special and what they have learned from each other. We also found out a few tidbits that most people don’t know about them. It’s our honor to share them with you.
Terrie and Taylor Daniel
Terrie Daniel, 56, is president and CEO of Cardinal Consulting Group LLC, which helps businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and higher education institutions with leadership development and organizational strategies. As the assistant vice president of supplier development and engagement, she also leads the supplier diversity program at the University of South Florida. She has a son, Christian, 24, who works for Delta Air Lines, and she joined us for the Bay photo shoot with her daughter, Taylor, 22, a nursing student at USF.
Daniel said she knew her daughter had a servant’s heart from the time she was a child. She would place her hands on her mom’s shoulders when she perceived that her mother was overwhelmed.
“She is a beautiful young lady outside, but inside she is just as beautiful,” Daniel said. “She just has a beautiful spirit about her and is always willing to go above and beyond to help others even though it’s not always convenient to her.”
Taylor Daniel said a lot of people who know her mom in the business world may not know that she has a great sense of humor.
“When you get to know her, she lightens the mood,” Taylor Daniel said.
Terrie Daniel said she is grateful for the trusting relationships she has with her children. She said her parenting has evolved through her career experiences.
“I do a lot of leadership and professional development, and leadership, in my opinion, is very similar to motherhood, because a good leader creates the atmosphere … for (their teams) to be their authentic selves,” she said.
“As a mom, that is the environment I have strived to create for my children. Have I gotten it right every time? Absolutely not. But I thank Taylor because she knows that she can trust me enough to … share anything about her life with me, without feeling that I am going to judge her,” Terrie Daniel said.
Misty and Hudson Wells
Misty Wells is currently filming her seventh season of “Let’s Take It Outside,” the international outdoor adventure and travel show she hosts and produces on the Discovery Channel and 16 other networks. She also is a keynote speaker and an outdoor/travel writer.
Hudson and Misty Wells.
Wells has two children. Her son, Brennan, 27, served in the U.S. Coast Guard and is now an airline mechanic for a private jet company. Her daughter, Hudson, 24, is a U.S. Navy veteran currently in pilot training school.
Wells, 58, was a single mother working in the hospitality industry when a friend who was launching a new magazine asked her to write an outdoor adventure column. She was later offered other writing assignments, including covering outdoor stories for the Tampa Bay Times. Her writing turned to video projects and eventually led to her television series.
“I learned from several people: If you have no idea what you’re doing, say yes,” she said. “A lot of the time I am doing things I have never done before, but I have learned not to stress about it and just do it. It wasn’t a purposeful path, but it was a great path.”
Wells said the best part of her career has been the ability to include her children in her outdoor adventures.
Hudson Wells agreed.
“She was a single mom for most of my life, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything,” she said. “She is the fun parent while she’s doing your lunches, while she is working three jobs, and every chance she has off, she takes us paddleboarding or whatever we want. She really does do it all.”
Misty Wells said her daughter began taking videos for her outdoor assignments when she was 10 years old.
“I love all the outdoor stuff we do,” Hudson Wells said. “We’re going camping next week.”
Fun is key to her relationships, Misty Wells said.
“The plight of parents is hard. I really try to just enjoy life and enjoy my kids, because sometimes we get so caught up with what we are supposed to be doing and achieving and the money and the business that it’s hard,” she said. “It’s OK not to be perfect.”
Hudson Wells said she is proud of her mom and happy to be along for the ride.
“Even before I was an adult, it was like hanging out with your best friend,” she said.
Betty and Kathy Castor
When Betty Castor, 84, was elected Florida commissioner of education, she became the first woman elected to the Florida Cabinet. She also was the first woman elected to the Hillsborough County Commission and the first female president pro tempore of the Florida Senate. Her public service also included serving as the first female president of USF. Her daughter, Kathy Castor, the eldest of her three grown children, has represented Florida’s 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007. The district currently covers Tampa and part of Hillsborough County as well as portions of Pinellas County and the city of St. Petersburg.
Kathy Castor, 59, said her mother has been a stalwart inspiration in her own career in politics and as a mother to her two daughters.
“She has a positive outlook on life even when times are tough,” Kathy Castor said. “For Mom, it’s building bridges among all kinds of people, people of different faiths, neighborhoods and communities. She knows how important it is to bring people together.”
Kathy Castor said she has often employed those lessons from her mother in dealing with the divided Congress in which she currently serves.
“One thing a lot of people don’t know about my mom is that she was a
Betty and Kathy Castor.
basketball player as a high school student and has turned that into a love of the USF women’s basketball team. She is one of their greatest supporters,” Kathy Castor said.
Betty Castor said she attends all the women’s basketball games at USF. She attended Glassboro High School where she grew up in Glassboro, New Jersey, near Philadelphia.
“She also taught English in East Africa after college in Uganda and was the first woman to lead women from three continents to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in the 1960s,” Kathy Castor said. Betty Castor had a few insights to share about her daughter as well.
“She loves to cook these days; she loves to make dinners and recently got into making soup. And she makes the best guacamole,” she said, adding, “I don’t cook.”
Betty Castor said she admires her daughter for her ability to always put her family first and for taking care of her late father and stepfather. But, she cautioned, her daughter can be a bit “strong-willed” and should not be underestimated.
“I don’t know if people know that,” she said. “She comes through as a very gentle, sweet person, but underneath, she is steely.”
Pat and Courtney Frank
Pat Frank, 96, is a trailblazer who served as a Hillsborough County School Board member; a Florida state senator; and a member of the Florida House of Representatives, the Hillsborough County Commission, and the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. The year after she retired at the age of 91, the Hillsborough County courthouse on Pierce Street was renamed the Pat Collier Frank Courthouse in her honor. She and her late husband, Judge Richard Harlan Frank, raised three daughters, Courtney, Hillary and the late Stacy Frank. Her daughter, Courtney Frank, 64, is her full-time caregiver these days.
“Most people don’t know that my mom lost her mom at the age of 3,” Courtney Frank said, noting that her mom learned her parenting skills through trial and error. “There weren’t many mistakes,” she allowed, sharing that her
mother devoted her life to public service and taught her three daughters the same values. Pat Frank, the first woman admitted to Georgetown University Law School, said her interest in Democratic politics began there, where she also met her husband.
Pat Frank said she is amazed daily at how well Courtney Frank navigates through her caregiving and how she manages to “always know what to do.”
“Everything that comes up is a problem she solves,” Pat Frank said. “She puts me first above everything and every day, every night, she takes care of my needs with love. She has the ability to look to the best in things.”
More than anything, Pat Frank said her daughter “does all of this for me with love and tenderness, sacrificing herself and often, her friends. We have a friendship and a relationship that is very special.”
Courtney Frank teared up when describing how much she appreciates being Pat Frank’s daughter, saying she considers it a privilege to spend so much time with her mother at this stage of her life.
“It’s just as simple as she is my mom,” Courtney Frank said. “Because I really got one of the good ones.”
Pat and Courtney Frank with Daisy.
is everything you can imagine
Each day begins with sunlight shimmering across the bay and ends with a private sunset viewed from your own boat dock. At Hammock Bay, you can set out for island-hopping or fishing adventures, linger over lunch at your favorite boat-up restaurant, or share laughter with neighbors who have become lifelong friends.
This intimate gated enclave of just 47 homesites invites you to craft your coastal estate with Bartlett Custom Homes or your choice from the region’s respected builders. Come live the boating lifestyle you’ve always imagined — elevated, inspiring and entirely your own.
BOOKS SCENE
by Colette Bancroft
HAUNTED HEARTS
For a book full of ghost stories, Louise Erdrich’s “Python’s Kiss” positively bursts with life.
This short story collection is the 31st book by Erdrich, whose honors include the National Book Award for Fiction (for “The Round House”), the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (for “The Night Watchman”), and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction (twice, for “Love Medicine” and “LaRose”).
Her dazzling storytelling skills, brilliant prose, insights into historical and contemporary Indigenous culture, and ability to create engaging, memorable characters have combined to make her one of the best living American fiction writers.
If you haven’t read her work, what are you waiting for? This book is a fine place to start: The 13 stories in “Python’s Kiss” display Erdrich’s full range of powers, weaving together the achingly familiar and the eerily surreal, the heartbreaking and the hilarious.
A lovely bonus: Each story gets an evocative illustration created by artist Aza Erdrich Abe, one of Erdrich’s daughters.
There are all sorts of ghosts in these stories — human, animal, even mineral. (In “The Stone,” a woman falls in love with one.)
In the title story, a young girl recounts the fated adventures of Nero, a rough guard dog with an unrequited crush on a cranky cocker spaniel (imagine “Lady and the Tramp” in a tragic key), and the parallel story of the girl’s Uncle Jurgen, who falls in love with that cocker spaniel’s owner, with somewhat better results.
Another young girl plays a role in “Wedding Dresses.” A woman named Dora has four of them, stored in a basement closet, and they’re ruined when a pipe bursts. Her niece Martha begs to hear the stories of her aunt’s four marriages, and in the telling Dora realizes that the man she regrets the most is also the only one she mourns.
“The Hollow Children” is a chilling story about a school bus driver suddenly caught in a lethal blizzard. Blinded by a white universe of powder, he desperately tries to deliver his young passengers safely. At one point, he looks around and sees them as transparent specters at the bottom of a lake, but then the snow clears enough for him to spot the schoolhouse, safe and warm. But which is the vision?
Two of the stories, “Domain” and “Asphodel,” imagine a future where there are “seven corporately owned afterlives.” The living must apply and meet strict requirements, but when they die, they will find their consciousness uploaded to a bespoke eternity. But the dead who tell these stories find human failings have corrupted the files.
In “Borsalino,” a young woman from the Midwest travels alone to Venice, Italy, a city she has always dreamed of visiting. She meets a strange young man named Enzo, who seems homeless yet knows everyone. He takes her on a “thief’s tour” of Venice before they part in an unusual fashion. Years later, dragged down by a terrible marriage, she returns to Venice and goes looking for Enzo’s help.
In “Amelia,” a restless teenage girl takes a job working for Mr. Ponath, a kind but eccentric retired college professor who likes to dress up like Colonel Sanders when he goes to eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken. She comes to realize he’s mourning his twin sister, Amelia — or is he?
BOOK PICKS: FAMILIAR SPIRITS
Here are three more books where the living and the dead mingle.
“Beloved” by Toni Morrison: Morrison’s masterpiece is driven by the furious ghost of a murdered child.
“Lincoln in the Bardo” by George Saunders: In Saunders’ extraordinary novel, President Abraham Lincoln is stricken with grief and surrounded by spirits who cannot find peace.
“The Little Stranger” by Sarah Waters: Waters takes the tropes of the Gothic horror story and gives them all a skillful, modern twist.
Louise Erdrich. Photo by Jenn Ackerman.
ARTS SCENE by
Maggie Duffy
MONUMENTAL MASTERPIECES
Sometimes an exhibition comes along that is so special, I’m moved to dedicate my whole column to it. This is the case for “Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound” at the Tampa Museum of Art. It showcases the large-scale sculptures, paintings and drawings of
internationally renowned Japanese American artist Jun Kaneko.
Kaneko is recognized as one of the most influential figures in contemporary ceramics. The exhibition is a survey of his works, covering six decades. He came on
the scene in the United States in the 1960s as part of the California Clay Movement, led by a group of artists who elevated ceramics into high-art sculpture. We are very fortunate to have his work here.
“Untitled,” 2022. Photo courtesy of the Tampa Museum of Art.
Part of the exhibition’s title, “Silence Before Sound,” refers to Kaneko’s artistic sensibility of placing emphasis on the spaces between gestures. As curator Joanna Robotham explained, “It’s about knowing that the absence of something is also as significant as the presence of something.”
The exhibition came to fruition because the museum recently acquired one of Kaneko’s Dango sculptures in its permanent collection. “Dango” means dumpling in Japanese, and Kaneko makes these sculptures in various sizes, from small to monumental.
A Dango is on display near Kaneko’s astonishing over 60-foot-long installation, “Mirage,” a panorama of rainbow colors meticulously dripped that will undoubtedly appear on numerous Instagram feeds.
In another section, two large-scale paintings, one stark white, the other rich
“Untitled” (Dango), 2017. Photo by Colin Conces.
Jun Kaneko in his studio with “Mirage.” Photo courtesy of Jun Kaneko Studio LLC.
black, are concentrations of each hue, dripped in patterns that evoke basketry or another form of weaving. A black Dango with white glaze dripped down its surface is strategically placed nearby.
In preparation for the exhibition, Robotham traveled to Kaneko’s studio in Omaha, Nebraska, where Kaneko has one of the biggest kilns in the world. Robotham said this is just a snapshot of the amount of work she had to choose from, and she cut about a third of what she originally chose.
It’s easy to see why. As the exhibition unfolds, the excitement of seeing
Kaneko’s innovations in clay and paint only builds. Surprising hints of color emerge from some raku-fired pieces that gleam with metallic drips, cornered by crisp geometric triangles, creating a sense of push and pull. A group of head-scratching sculptures with pieces protruding are a kiln-surviving feat. Nearby, a massive panel composed of separate tiles looks uniform.
Kaneko is known for his sculptures of heads, which he also makes in monumental form. The ones on display here aren’t that large, and that’s a good thing, because at eye level you can appreciate their serene faces, adorned
with swirls and lines. They’re sublime.
On the day of my visit, Kaneko was on-site and attendees were rapt as he moved through the gallery, talking about his work. He’s in his 80s and still works in his studio every day.
He offered some sage advice: “If you have curiosity around you, and keep having your own questions, you’ve got it made.”
On view through Aug. 23. $5-$25, free for college students, with pay-as-you-will admission on Thursdays from 4-8 p.m. 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. 813-2748130. tampamuseum.org.
“Untitled” (Head), 2019. Photo by Colin Conces.
“Untitled” (Dango), 2018. Photo by Colin Conces.
AM ERICA 250 RHAPSODY IN BLUE
Salute the very best of America in music. Featuring George Gershwin’s jazz-infused classic, with pianist Michael Cher tock. ��� ��������� ���������
Fri, May 22, 8 pm, Straz Center Sat, May 23, 8 pm, Mahaffey Theater
Michael Francis, Music Director
SOCIAL SCENE
American Heart Association of Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Heart Ball
Red-hot and black-tie, the Tampa Bay Heart Ball dazzled in daring “Moulin Rouge!” style — raising over $2 million for the American Heart Association of Tampa Bay’s lifesaving cardiovascular programs and research. Event co-chairs Dr. Guilherme Oliveira and Kevin Edmonson revved up the 380 guests at The Motor Enclave on March 28, where they ogled luxury rides, including the star of the live auction, an all-electric Maserati GranTurismo Folgore. Between shoeshines, snapshots with a martini glass showgirl and dancing to music by Liquid Blue, the crowd met medical professionals and cardiac arrest survivors — powerful messengers of the mission at the heart of the night. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos courtesy of PamElla Lee Photography.
Kevin Edmonson and Dr. Guilherme Oliveira.
An entertainer at the Tampa Bay Heart Ball.
Caitlin Lockerbie and Carolyn Monroe.
Dr. Kanika Tomalin, Jason Newmyer, Andrew Hays and Dr. Robert Sanchez.
Thank you for helping us raise over $2 million in support of the American Heart Association’s mission.
Together, we powered essential advocacy, created greater access, advanced knowledge, and set the stage life-saving discoveries yet to come. ad for li
Presenting Sponsor
SOCIAL SCENE
Tampa Theatre
WineFest: “Winderland”
“Off with their corks!” and down the rabbit hole charged Anna Molina, Queen of Hearts and chair of “Winderland,” Tampa Theatre’s 23rd annual movie-themed WineFest, an imaginative fundraiser that has poured more than $2 million into preservation of the historic 1926 landmark over the past 22 years. The March 6 wine tasting offered boutique vintages paired with bites from Tampa’s top independent restaurants, as Mad Hatters, Cheshire Cats and “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired guests stepped through the looking glass. An elegant wine pairing dinner March 7, a collaboration between Mise en Place and Metropolitan Ministries’ culinary and hospitality teams, pushed the dual events over $300,000 to support programming and ongoing restoration of the beloved, century-old theater. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos by PamElla Winslow.
Greg and Dell Rabinowitz.
Rachel Grannan, Brendan McLaughlin and Kevin Stevenson.
Randy Strutz, Bret Anderson, Kelly and Dr. Steven Feinerman, Melissa Tracy, Richard Green, Dave and Tina Adams, and Jim and Teri Young.
Léa Van Name and Anna Molina.
SOCIAL SCENE
Jesuit High School Gaudiosa: “An Evening in Venice”
The 23rd annual Gaudiosa: “An Evening in Venice” delivered a stunning $1.35 million, marking Jesuit High School’s fifth consecutive gala to surpass the $1 million milestone in support of student financial aid. Part of such success was hearing from Jesuit senior Henry Bravo, class of ’26, a future aerospace engineering major at the University of Notre Dame, whose inspiring family story and academic and service achievements impressed the 600 guests at the Hilton Tampa Downtown on Feb. 28. Donors of $5,000 and up received a key to enjoy a hidden lounge, Il Segreto Speakeasy, while others could buy a key for $100. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos courtesy of Jesuit High School.
Richard and Lori Watt.
Tia and Michael Cummings.
Mike and Laura DeLucia and Kim and Kelly Rogers.
Sandra Wiatrak, Paula Lutes, Nicole Coto, Shelly Arreola and Michele Hintson.
VO st St se
SOCIAL SCENE
Kiwanis Club of St. Petersburg 20th Annual Fischer-Carr Memorial Birthday Bash
Chips stacked, cards dealt, futures in play, the Kiwanis Club of St. Petersburg’s “Bad Luck Never Felt So Good” Friday the 13th–themed casino gala was a sure bet for funding Fischer-Carr scholarships through the Pinellas Education Foundation’s Take Stock in Children program. With the support of 200 guests — plus proceeds from last year’s Fischer-Carr Golf Tournament — more than 30 students will receive full college or trade school tuition, rewarded by the Kiwanis Club for their attendance, behavior and academics. The Ocean Road Band entertained as the crowd posed with Vegas showgirls, sampled buffet stations and spent their winnings on prizes March 13 at The Coliseum. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos by Sharon Kennedy Wynne.
Susan and Steve McMullen, Dave Abbey, Barbara Shames, and Margaret Abbey.
Karen and Carl Eisenbrei with event entertainers.
Andrea Dattilo and Renée Litton.
Mitchell St. Cin and Bob Byelick.
The Pointe on Boca Ciega at Marina Bay
Waterfront penthouse condominiums
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Discover Marina Bay in St. Petersburg, a hidden gem tucked away on Boca Ciega Bay, where 60 acres of lush tropical landscaping, lakes with dramatic water features and abundant wildlife blend to form this vibrant community Just six minutes to downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, the new Villas, Estate Homes and Pointe Condominiums on Boca Ciega redefine both luxury and resilience by building to FORTIFIEDTM - Gold standards. Visit Marina Bay, next to Eckerd College, to tour our new models.
SOCIAL SCENE
Hospice Women of Philanthropy
11th Annual Spring Soirée
Hospice Women of Philanthropy, a group dedicated to supporting compassionate end-of-life care for patients and families of LifePath Hospice, hosted their 11th annual Spring Soirée, featuring cancer survivor Dr. Kate Bowler, author and “Everything Happens” podcaster. “Life is a group project,” she advised during the luncheon Q&A. Joy and grief coexist in her world, and friends “show up and do dumb, loving things.” Tampa resident Frances Jennings also shared her family’s hospice experience at the March 11 luncheon at Armature Works. The group has raised more than $1 million for Chapters Health Foundation since 2012. Text and photos by Amy Scherzer.
Christie Roberts and Donna Taylor.
Renée Furlong and Anne Carney.
Irene Ferguson, Renée Vaughn, Dr. Kate Bowler, Cathy Smith and Karen Riddle.
Nancy Bomstein, Lindsay Bomstein, Julia Freeman and Alicia Bolt.
SOCIAL SCENE
Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Women of Distinction Luncheon
Congratulations to the 2026 Women of Distinction — Renée Dabbs, Dr. Cynthia Johnson, J. Denise Jordan and Jessica Muroff — each a highly respected leader honored by Girl Scouts of West Central Florida for exemplifying courage, confidence and character. University of South Florida grad student Evita Jackeline Garcia shares those qualities as the 2026 Woman of Promise. The 600 guests applauded Dr. Judy Genshaft’s induction into the organization’s Hall of Fame, recognized for nearly two decades (2000-2019) as president of USF, during which enrollment grew by 40%. Now in its 34th year, the March 4 luncheon at Armature Works raised $255,000 to fund programming for 20,000 local Girl Scouts. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida.
Lynn Jackson Dorman and Felecia Gilmore-Long.
Maureen Famiano and Joanne LeBlanc.
Evita Jackeline Garcia, Dr. Cynthia Johnson, Renée Dabbs, Deanna Moore, J. Denise Jordan, Jessica Muroff and Dr. Judy Genshaft.
SOCIAL SCENE CASA Pinellas Unmasking Hope Gala
CASA Pinellas, dedicated to ending domestic violence and supporting survivors, welcomed nearly 300 guests to the Unmasking Hope Gala, its elegant masquerade ball benefit at the Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement. CEO Lariana Forsythe described the impact of the nonprofit’s programs and advocacy, which help more than 3,000 women, men and children rebuild their lives each year. She was especially excited to share about a new partnership with Stetson University College of Law students who volunteer at CASA’s Victims’ Rights Law Center. During the March 28 dinner, keynote speaker Jeffrey Plummer remembered his sister on the 20th anniversary of her losing her life to domestic violence, a powerful reminder of the importance of CASA’s work. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos by Tacy Briggs-Troncoso Photography.
Rima and John Terradista.
Lariana Forsythe.
Julie and Jeffrey Plummer.
Entertainers at the Unmasking Hope Gala.
Don’t miss Tampa Bay’s top fundraising events
Bay magazine’s exclusive 2025 -2026 Charit y Register is your guide to Tampa Bay’s social scene. This special section spotlights the bay area’s top nonprofit organizations and their primar y fundraising events The register also includes a year-long events calendar.
e QR
SOCIAL SCENE CALENDAR by
Amy Scherzer
May 16: Storybook Ball: “The Princess and the Frog,” which benefits Ronald McDonald House Tampa Bay. $500. 6 p.m. Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel. lsuprenand@ rmhctampabay.org. ronaldmcdonaldhousetb.org.
May 16: Hispanic Professional Women’s Association’s Scholarship Awards Gala. $175. 6-10 p.m. TPepin’s Hospitality Centre. hpwatampa.org.
May 16: St. Pete Gala: “Rainbow Disco,” which benefits Equality Florida. $250. 5:30-10 p.m. The Coliseum. eqfl.org.
May 16: Wishmaker’s Ball: “A Night in the Tropics,” which benefits Make-a-Wish Southern Florida. Entertainment by Old
Dominion. Sponsorships start at $8,000. 6 p.m. JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. 813-288-2600, Ext. 204. wishmakersballtampa.net.
May 30: Old Florida Soirée, which benefits Pathfinder Outdoor Education’s Youth Scholarship Fund. $40. 7-10:30 p.m. St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. pathfinderoutdooreducation.org.
June 6: World Ocean Day Soirée, which benefits The Florida Aquarium. $195. 6:30-10:30 p.m. The Florida Aquarium. flaquarium.org/soiree.
Contact Amy Scherzer at amyscherzersdiary@gmail.com to have your event listed on the calendar.
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