photos and descriptions of what makes our world a pleasure
emphasis on Florida and the Tampa Bay area but also far beyond

Florida

Variation on a Butternut Squash Soup Zack Shack recipe

December 5, 2011

A fellow blogger (he publishes Zack Shack) and friend has posted several recipes that have made my mouth water. Recently, Zack had a recipe for Brined Turkey Butternut Squash Soup that I simply had to try since I only recently learned how to cook winter squash. To me, it seemed that the heart of Zack’s [...]

Peace in the Great Southwest

August 18, 2011

There are places you miss more than you realize until you visit them again. The Southwest is one of those places. Recently I visited a friend of 43 years. He’s only recently moved to Gallup. I’d never been there before, but I hope to go again. The title of this post pretty much says it [...]

Tagged as: favorite articles

Brocato’s Sandwich Shop, Tampa, FL

June 29, 2011

A friend emailed me a link to an April 26, 2011 article in the New York Times Dining & Wine section by John T. Edge, In Tampa, the Street Food That Crawled From the Sea, and asked if I’d ever eaten at the Brocato’s reviewed in the article and, if not, did I want to [...]

Dairy Inn to the rescue

May 11, 2011

Sometimes, you just have to reward yourself. Last night was one of those times. That large hot fudge sundae with extra hot fudge over hand-packed chocolate chip mint ice cream (hold the whipped cream, cherry, and nuts) at Dairy Inn on MLK last night after a friend’s concert was exactly what I needed. If that [...]

A new St. Pete breakfast option

May 5, 2011

SADLY, ISLAND SEAFOOD MARKET & BISTRO IS NO MORE–IT WAS A CASUALTY OF THE DIFFICULT ECONOMY. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL IDEA AND CONCEPT THOUGH. IT WILL BE MISSED Island Seafood Market & Bistro (Inkwatu review; Island Seafood website; 2057 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33713, 727-821-8181) has new hours: Tues – Thursday 7AM – 3PM [...]

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo

April 2, 2011

Bornean orangutan (male) “Rango” Age 36. The only great ape from Asia, orangutans are among the most endangered animals on earth. What a privilege: a private tour by the person I’m convinced is the world’s best docent of the zoo rated #1 in the United States by Parent’s Magazine. That zoo and that docent (Jane [...]

Tagged as: favorite articles, favorite photos

Restaurant Revisits

March 5, 2011

The owner of one of my favorite St. Pete Thai restaurants, that I described in The King and I, has opened a new restaurant at 2410 Central Avenue (pictured above), named The Queen and I. I ate lunch there yesterday and the food is the same very high quality as the downtown restaurant. The decor [...]

Work o’ the Weavers at St. Pete Palladium Theater

February 25, 2011

Work o’ the Weavers at St. Pete Palladium Side Door A few nights ago, a friend called and said, “We’re going to the [Work o' the] Weaver’s concert Thursday night at the Palladium. I know you like that kind of music. Do you want to come, too.” I said yes immediately. Although I’m not [...]

Super Bowl Surprise

February 5, 2011

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl. Therein lies a tale: Back in 1991, as usual, I was supplementing my income as a college prof by moonlighting as a church musician, playing organ and conducting a volunteer choir. That particular year, I happened to put on a variety show with the choir, doing a number of sets [...]

The Joy of Learning (photographing the Elizabeth Crown Collection)

November 27, 2010

Long ago, I learned a secret that kept me writing and growing as a composer all my life: with each piece you’re learning something new about how to compose. I was already doing this as a kid, but didn’t know it. However, as an undergraduate, I was fortunate enough to take one of the courses [...]

Beautiful outdoor evening at Yummy’s in Gulfport, Florida

November 21, 2010

Last night was almost the full moon (tonight is the actual full moon). The temperature was somewhere in the low seventies, I think–long sleeve weather, but not jacket weather…the kind of weather that makes folks want to move to Florida. A friend and I walked down to the Gulfport, Florida, Art Walk which is held [...]

Views of the “Big Boats” from the Crosstown Expressway

November 13, 2010

The Leroy Selmon Crosstown Expressway (map) is a toll road that stretches from Gandy Blvd., on the lower peninsula of Tampa, just north of MacDill Air Force Base, across the top of Hillsborough Bay, on to Brandon, a bedroom community to the southeast of Tampa. The purpose of the Crosstown Expressway, which was ridiculed when [...]

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