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

From the category archives:

Florida

Tampa’s Phap Vien Minh Dang Quang and the Jade Buddha

March 10, 2010

Every week/weekend in Tampa Bay has a lot of activities, but this weekend has more than most that fit my tastes. One you don’t want to miss is the enormous Jade Buddha for Universal Peace at the Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Town and Country (that area of Tampa on the west end of Hillsborough Avenue).

All [...]

Tagged as: attractions, Buddhist, churches & temples, favorite articles, Florida, SPIRITUAL, Tampa

Organic produce and fresh fish shopping in St. Pete.

March 8, 2010

Comments are often where the most interesting content is in a blog. I especially enjoy comments which are questions such as a recent one that asked how to find good produce locally. It prompted me to create an answer, which I posted as an answering comment, that summed up my favorite places for local produce. [...]

Tagged as: Florida, FOOD, Gulfport, markets, seafood, SHOPPING, St. Petersburg, Vegetarian

Romanesco

March 7, 2010

Taken 3/6/10, St. Petersburg, FL Saturday Morning Market — don’t forget to click on image and then click again to get to full-screen image.

What an amazing vegetable, the romanesco. I’d never seen one before. Next time I’m at the market, I’m going to buy one to bring home to prepare and eat. This time, I [...]

Tagged as: Florida, markets, plants, St. Petersburg, Vegetarian, zhongheting

Mount Dora, Florida

February 25, 2010

OVERLOOKING LAKE DORA FROM LAKESIDE INN
Mount Dora is a small town in central Florida on the edge of Lake Dora. As you can see in the map below, Lake Dora is just one of dozens of lakes, large and small, scattered throughout this area adjoining the Ocala National Forest.

View Larger Map
This past weekend was my [...]

Tagged as: antiques, attractions, birds, boats, crafts, events, favorite articles, fishing, Florida, galleries, HISTORIC, lakes, Mount Dora, NATURE

Mount Dora moss

February 23, 2010

Mount Dora, FL
Taken 2/20/2010
Most images link to larger images.

Tagged as: Florida, Mount Dora, trees, zhongheting

Nesting birds

February 22, 2010

Mount Dora, FL
Taken on February 20, 2010
Most images link to larger images.

Tagged as: birds, favorite photos, Florida, Mount Dora, NATURE, zhongheting

Vintage Floridiana

February 20, 2010

abandoned roadside fruitstand
Mount Dora, FL
Taken on 2/19/2010
Most images link to larger images.

Tagged as: favorite photos, Floriaiana, Florida, Mount Dora, vintage, zhongheting

Vietnamese New Years at St. Petersburg’s Phat Phap Buddhist Temple

February 16, 2010

Two of the most popular posts at Inkwatu over the few years of its existence are Wat Mongkolratanaram — Palm River Thai Temple and Songkran at Tampa’s Wat Mongkolratanaram and memories of Thailand. Wat Mongkolratanaram is a Thai Buddhist temple, but there are many other Buddhist traditions represented in the Tampa Bay area, many distinguished [...]

Tagged as: attractions, Buddhist, favorite articles, Florida, HOLIDAYS

Madeleina Cottage Restaurant

February 11, 2010

exterior Madeleina Cottage Restaurant
This is a repost of material buried in a much longer, earlier post about something else: Gulfport Trolley Day. I’m extracting this material and reposting it here to give the Madeleina Cottage Restaurant the focus it deserves.
At the end of a long day of exploring various trolley servies in St. Petersburg, a [...]

Tagged as: English food, Florida, FOOD, Irish food, pubs, restaurants, St. Pete Beach

The New St. Pete Dali Museum and politics

February 9, 2010

New Dali museum under construction
The new Dali Museum
The new Dali Museum being constructed right next to Mahaffey Theater looks exciting. I hadn’t driven down that way until just recently and what I saw took me by surprise. I’m not sure if this is the front or the back of the new museum–that fits with the [...]

Tagged as: attractions, favorite articles, fine arts, Florida, museums, St. Petersburg

Urban Rainbow

February 6, 2010

There’s probably no greater photographic cliché than a rainbow, but unexpectedly seeing one, especially when you need a lift, is no cliché. This morning’s was very welcome. No point going out looking for them, of course…they just happen to you.
Most images link to larger images.

Tagged as: Florida, NATURE, rainbows, St. Petersburg, zhongheting

Stella’s Deli & Gelato

February 4, 2010

The Tampa Bay area has a large number of first class restaurants, but not as many New York style delis as I would like. (Admittedly, I’d like one on every block.) There’s Jo-El’s Delicatessen & Marketplace (Jewish), European Goodies (Polish), and Mazzaro’s Market (Italian) plus a number of ethnic markets (Bosnian Bakery, Cafe Mozart, Dong [...]

Tagged as: Florida, FOOD, Gulfport, Jewish food, restaurants