Travel + Leisure (T+L) listed St. Pete/Clearwater as one of its top Five U.S. Summer Trip Ideas— in the company of New York City, the Pacific Coast Highway, Alaska and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. T+L highlighted five destinations for the “ultimate American summer vacation.” St. Pete/Clearwater filled the “Beach Getaway” category with T+L describing Clearwater Beach as “one of the most desirable summer getaways” and “…with an abundance of arts, food and culture, St. Pete has got it all.” Specifically highlighted to stay busy were the St. Pete Shuffleboard Club because of its popular St. Pete Shuffle on Friday nights and the Dali Museum’s Disney & Dali exhibit. To grab a drink it recommended The Canopy at downtown St. Pete’s Birchwood and Green Bench Brewery, as a part of the 27 breweries on the St. Pete/Clearwater Craft Beer Trail. The iconic Vinoy Renaissance was the hotel of choice.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gives as it takes away. Recreational harvest of gag grouper, one of the best eating fish around, is open as of June 1 with 24” or more in total length. Meanwhile amberjack and gray triggerfish are closed until August 1st.
Lu Alatorre’s new mission in life is The Academy of Performance Arts, which just cut a ribbon and is welcoming students and teachers to the prior site of the St. Pete Beach Fun Center, 7525 Blind Pass Rd., next to Lenny’s Surf and Bike Shop. The are signing up students and teachers for music dance, art and acting classes. Call Lu, his wife Michelle-Garcia at 727 360-4644 or academyofperformance arts.com
Ribbon Cutting at Splash Harbour Water Park with Park cuisine and refreshments was an unexpected surprise. Co-located with the water park is a new condo complex.
Coastal Fine Furniture recently opened off Bay Pines Boulevard north west of the VA hospital behind Dunkin Donut as you turn to enter the new ‘Madeira Beach Super Walmart’. Sam and Donna Little have packed their store with high quality Amish made furniture designed for coastal use. Sam says he has been beautifying homes since 1980 in Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. If you go, be sure to tell them Paradise NEWS sent you, 4691 100th Way N., St. Petersburg, FL 33706 (727) 289-9790 or visit online on Facebook or at CoastalFineFurniture.com
Gorilla Joe to the Rescue! You can have your new furniture or appliances delivered, often the same day at little extra cost by Gorilla Joe, a premium home delivery service available to Paradise NEWS readers. They have opened a location next to Sears Outlet on Park St., a central location to serve Paradise NEWS readers no matter who you get your appliance from. Gorilla Joe’s online comments are amazing, way better than any store’s delivery service. Call (631) 804-7774, or visit www.Gorillajoeinc.com
RockHouseLIVE is the newest name for the venue that was known for years as St. Petersburg Nights. It was Greenbacks for about 6 months, a venture of Jack Bodziak and Jimmy Jordan. That ended with a sheriff’s raid after they learned that Jimmy Jordan was holding concerts and selling alcohol with no business or liquor license. For a few weeks, it was briefly named TAMIAMI. RockHouseLIVE co-owner Zach Bair is expanding his “Venue and Grille” concept from Memphis, where the brand is established and serves, according to Bair “the best burgers and fresh chicken quesadillas in that city”. He obviously has not dined around much, as he also claimed the food here was top notch. While the food here is ok, you can get a better burger at Willy’s. In addition to its life as a new event venue, (they already hosted Gallagher on April 16th) Zach and his manager/ partner Rob are promising lunch and dinner 7 days a week and performances live every night.
Salon stylist Gloria Huffman has relocated from Chicago to Treasure Island and recently opened Hair Gloria at Rapunzel’s at Treasure Island, 254 107th Ave. She has won numerous awards and her work has been published in Coiffure Q, Passion, American Hairdresser & Sophisticates Hairstyle Guide. Services include women’s & men’s haircuts and styling, special event and bridal hair and make-up, hair coloring, balayage, sprinkle, Hi-lighting, bleach and tone, Keratin complex, Keratin express, perm, facial and arm waxing, and Make-up. Hair Gloria is open Tues., 10 am – 7 pm; Wed., 10 am – 6 pm; Thur., 11 am – 7 pm; Fri., 10 am – 5 pm; Sat., 9 am – 4 pm, or Sunday and Monday by appointment only. To book, call 847-212-3013; visit www.hairgloria.com or gloria@hairgloria.com
This year the Gulf Beaches Rotary held its 6th annual Spring Carnival at the new Madeira Beach recreation center ball field and Roc Park. Comm. Pat Shontz, representing the City of Madeira Beach, presented the Key to the City to John Meagher, Sam Fallenbaum and all Gulf Beaches Rotarians for their commitment to the community of Madeira Beach and its children.
Giant Human Sun for Solar EnergyHundreds of people came together May 21 on Treasure Island Beach to create a human image of a massive sun in support of solar energy at this year’s “Hands Across the Sand” event. Internationally renowned aerial artist John Quigley designed and created the human sun with up to 300 people on the beach behind the Bilmar Beach Resort. The sun, with “100%” inside, symbolizes the need for transitioning away from dirty fossil fuels such as coal and gas to 100 percent clean energy such as solar power. The annual global event was organized by Sierra Club and other environmental groups. Based in Eagle Rock, CA, Quigley has created and directed over 150 human aerial art images around the world on every continent, including the human peace sign in front of the Eiffel Tower at the COP21 Climate Summit in Paris. For more information on John Quigley, go to http://www.spectralq.com/Home.html. For more information about Hands Across the Sand, go to www.handsacrossthesand.org
Paradise NEWS is delivered on Solar Power! Loyal readers often ask how our solar energy system is performing for us. We say “Great!” We were told that the 10kw solar system we installed on our roof in St. Pete Beach over 3 years ago was more than we needed to run our home and office. They were right, however, we are very happy about the extra energy. In addition to providing all the power we needed in our home, we have been able to drive on the excess power. Our Chevy Volt has gone over 27,000 miles on 150 gallons of gas, averaging 175 mpg. Our power bill is the minimum $10.53 ($8.50 + fees) most months and averages under $20. We are saving $200-$250/month in power & another $100+ in gas savings. Even at $300/ month, $3,600 per year, payback on investment is way more than any other legal investment we know. In addition, the readout on our inverters says that in under 4 years our little system has prevented 50,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. We have virtually eliminated our carbon footprint. The postal service still burns fossil fuel, but they are headed out, with or without Paradise NEWS.
Fifty animals, from dogs to ducks walked across the Fox Hall stage at the 4th Annual Eckerd College Pet Graduation on Thursday, May 12. “As the first school in the nation to accept on-campus pets, Eckerd College’s commitment to honoring the animals that support our students has extended to an annual ceremony where each pet gets to wear a cap, hear their name called and walk across the stage to the cheers of their friends and family”, said Vice President for Student Life & Dean of Students James Annarelli, who read the pet names as Eckerd College President Donald Eastman presented the certificates and took photos with pets and owners at the ceremony.
Six years ago Crea Egan and some friends began a movement called “Gulfport Growing Greener.” While she says hers was the first in the nation, Seattle is taking the glory due to the city’s financial support. “A core group of Urban Food Foresters have been hauling buckets of water across three park blocks for almost three years now. The food forest is beautiful and is beginning to bear food for all,” says Crea. “Please help us spread the word about our crowd fund campaign for irrigation, a utility cart and our invitation to come out and get down and dirty with the butterflies, hawks, ospreys, coco plums and Miracle Trees. We meet up in the forest every Sunday from 4 – 6 pm to love up the forest and share what we know about living as if life mattered most. The Gulfport Food Forest has a booth at the Tuesday Fresh Market in Downtown Gulfport thru July where we share the harvest by donation. The donations go towards filling our red basket.” www.redbasket.org/843 (a crowd-sourcing effort to raise $8,000 irrigation & transportation) Crea Egan 727.560.0608
Gulfport Toastmasters have been winning awards. Immediate Past President Robyn Featherston, Robin Riddell, Ronalda Hobson, Kelly Wright, Bob Schlesinger, Wesley Whittaker, Page Harris, Dr. George Monlux, Christina Rose and Donna Kolody all received recognition. The club won the President’s Distinguished Club award again, the highest honor Toastmasters International gives clubs for achievements in leadership, public speaking training and overall excellence in performance, for the fourth straight year. Gulfport Toastmasters meet Wednesdays 6:15 – 7:30 pm in the Community Room of the Gulfport Public Library, 5501 28th Ave S in Gulfport. Visitors welcome. Visit gulfporttoastmasters.com or call (727) 537-9098. Email them at contact@ gulfporttoastmasters.com.
Gulf Beaches Rotary Club presented $20,578.58 to the City of Madeira Beach for its share of the proceeds from the 2016 Spring Break Waterfront Festival. All are looking forward to a 2017 event. Last year Gulf Beaches Rotary donated $50,000+ to All Childrens Hospital, The Guardian at Litem Foundation, Eckerd Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Polio Plus, Suncoast Voices for Children & others.
Purses & Love, Inc, has provided domestic violence victims and their children with basic items upon arrival to The Haven of RCS. In April, Purses & Love donated 15 purses filled with toiletries, outfits for the women and toys/ books for the children. Purses & Love also gave gifts for children at The Haven of RCS’s Safe House & Permanent Living program to give to their moms on Mother’s Day. The Haven of RCS, visit www.RCSpinellas.org or call Suzanne Ruley, Director of Development at 727-584-3528 x409.
The Treasure Islettes, the women’s club of Treasure Island, presented the city with a check for $5,000 for planting of colorful annuals. President Mary Cox; Beautification Chairman Millie Fant and Treasurer Toni Hawkins made the presentation to Mayor Bob Minning. At the same time, Millie Fant announced another major beautification project by the Islettes namely the installation of tiny white lights along the Causeway, from Gulf Boulevard to the west bridge. The money was raised through several projects, which included a yearly spring fashion show, in cooperation with Macy’s, and a fall luncheon and bazaar. The club is open to women who have an interest in the betterment of Treasure Island Call Vice President Shesta Kirkland about membership at 727-350-5682. Islettes host Thursday night Bingos at 6:45 pm & 7:45 pm at the Treasure IslandCommunity Center Park/Gulf Boulevard at 106th Avenue (behind Walgreens). Great snack bar, free coffee and cash prizes. Contact: Linda Hepp 727-270-3178.
Signs of Progress? Lou’s Florist, a fixture on the beaches for over 60 years has relocated between Looks & Company and the Comfort Cafe’ at 2525 Pasadena Blvd. S. This should work out well. They are around the corner from Palms of Pasadena Hospital which closed it’s gift shop, near a number of busy wedding facilities, in front of 2 upscale condo communities, and in the only commercial strip on the Causeway to St. Pete Beach from South Pasadena. Their phone number stays the same. For the nicest flowers and the best service, Call Lou’s 727-367-1921.
Summer Reminders
• Do the Sting Ray Shuffle
• Be mindfull of the sea turtle nest. Don’t tamper
• Be mindfull of sudden changes in the weather.
• Do a hurricane rehearsal, see how long it takes to get ready & then leave!
• Hurricane prepairdness kit ready… flash light, water, batteries, non cook food…
• Plan cash & gas stops
Enjoy what we have locally all year around, beach, art, atmosphere…paradise!