By Nanette Wiser
DINE & DRINK
Like speakeasies, Latin/Caribbean fare, Cuban coffee, mango guava mojitos and live music? Mosey over to Grand Central’s Dirty Laundry as it joins DTSP speakeasies Bar Chica and The Saint and is the brainchild of Hunger & Thirst Restaurant Group (The Avenue, No Vacancy, Park & Rec, Tropicana Field’s BallPark & Rec). We love The Oyster Bar’s new $10 lunch featuring Oyster Po’boys, Veggie Power Bowls, Salmon Sliders, grilled cheese with lobster bisque as well as the 3-6 pm daily happy hour and weekend brunch. New on Central is Mangosteen, a tropical Asian restaurant featuring tapas, yakitori, tacos, sushi, and tropical cocktails.
Lots to look forward to in 2022 including acclaimed chef Fabio Viviani’s Taverna Costale and steak/seafood resto The Crane located in the former Wig Villa on Central. Originally slated for DTSP, Portillo’s Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef will open in Tyrone. The old Woolworth Building is being transformed into the Central Park St. Pete food hall, already home to Italian resto Speaks Clam Bar and Kojo for Asian fare.
Hoping Chill Bros. Ice Cream opens a fourth location in Pinellas after their new scoop shop at Tampa’s Epicurean Hotel.
Tampa Bay’s Chillura brothers specialize in all-natural, hand-crafted American-style ice cream. Visit St. Pete/Clearwater’s Gulp Coast Craft Brewery Passport has gone digital; explore 35+ breweries on both sides of the bridge. We’re not getting California’s In N Out Burger, but we may see LA import Dave’s Hot Chicken, please Santa please, in 2022.
SHOP/GIFTS
St. Petersburg Press’s Feast by Maureen McDole, The Last Florida Boy by Tom Gribbin, Kerry Kriseman’s Accidental First Lady memoir and Bill deYoung’s Vintage St. Pete Volume II are available online and in Tombolo books.
J9 Shoe Salon features philanthropist/fashionista Pat Rossignol’s fab French perfumes, also at Corey Ave.’s Elizabeth Boutique. Find fur baby gifts at Woof Gang Bakery and Petworks, sports/apparel at Reno Beach Surf Shop and Bada Bing Watersports, boutique wines at CellarMasters and Hawthorne Bottle Shop, Savory Spice’s popcorn seasoning trio, artsy treasures at The Dali, Shapiro’s Gallery and Florida CraftArt, locally made gifts @St. Pete Store or The Edge Collective and bonbons at Sweet Divas Chocolates, Kilwin’s and Schakolad Chocolate.
EXPERIENCE
DTSP’s All the Things St. Pete is the newest artist hub, a space to showcase their work and host live events and workshops thanks to owner Jodi Chemes. Their debut Dec. 4th features a steampunk-themed art show, food, drink, axe throwing, a fiery burlesque show and aerial performances. Zubrick Magic Theatre has added Sunday matinees during the holiday season and is available for special events. The Craftsman House celebrates its 19th anniversary 12/11 in conjunction with Holiday ArtWalk 5-9pm; follow them in social media for concerts and gallery news.
TIDBIT
City of St. Petersburg’s lobbying hard for affordable housing and soon 50 more affordable homes break ground in the Innovation District. According to climatecentral.org, St. Pete ranks as the eighth-most vulnerable American city for coastal flooding as augmented by projected sea-level rise, putting 91,000 of its residents directly at risk. Florida is home to 23 of the 25 most at-risk cities. Hats off to Mayor Rick Kriseman for his efforts and representing the area at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. In November, he also extended the relationship with St. Pete Pride through 2026. Farewell to hizzoner, never to be forgotten for his good deeds.