I captured so many great photos from the Gasparilla Children’s Parade and I wanted to share some more, If you missed my previous Gasparilla post, gather ’round to hear the tale again, me hearties.
More Gasparilla Booty
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Tag Archives: Tampa
Gasparilla and The Great Bead Booty
Argggh!
There be a pirate invasion once again in Tampa.
Aye, wearing snarls and yielding swords, me krewe set sail upon the Black Pearl in search of treasure known as The Great Bead Booty.
The Great Bead Booty be the gem of all the scurvy pirates at the Gasparilla Children’s Parade. The secret, me hearties, is to keep ye good eye on all that is casted from the krewes that sail along Bayshore as ye never know what treasures lie in front of ye.
Be it beads or candy, scurvy pirates need to be ready. Aye, that be the story of how Captain Madre got hit in the head with a Tootsie Roll some pirates lose an eye and are forever cursed to wear a patch.
Even me youngest scallywag found treasure…
…and tried to steal some more.
Legend tells, some pirates hunt for treasures of giant burritos.
But one scallywag set her sights on cotton candy only to have her plan foiled when Mean Captain Madre grunted, “No” and threatened a long walk off a short plank if she didn’t become a jolly pirate.
Then, a loud thunderous boom shook the land as Jose Gaspar’s ship invaded and began firing cannons. But we did not withdraw, me hearties! Aye, the Great Bead Booty was still ours for the taking!
After hours upon the bay, our voyage had ended and the time had come to find a new destination to feed me hungry krewe. Aye and motley krewe we be.
Until next year, Gaspar! ARRRRRRGGH!
A Serendipity-Style Date
Last Sunday, Allan and I celebrated our 12th anniversary. Twelve years, really? Wow.
For our anniversary, I wanted to plan something different other than dinner and a movie. So when I stumbled upon this idea from The Dating Divas on Pinterest, I knew this was the date to plan for us.
Allan and I love the movie Serendipity. Since the way we met happened by chance or nearly met a few times before our first encounter, we love any and all romantic comedies that revolved that theme, however, Serendipity holds the number one spot. (You can watch the trailer here.)
Basically, the two main characters meet by chance in a department store when trying to purchase the same pair of gloves and then spend the rest of day together. At the end of the day, they try to exchange phone numbers but fate steps in so they decide to test fate by writing the numbers on a five dollar bill and in an old book. If either item crosses their paths again, then they’re meant to be together.
When Allan and I celebrated our tenth anniversary in New York City, we tried to replicate Serendipity movie moments, like ice skating in Central Park. Next to our wedding day and our honeymoon (and the birth of our children, of course) that weekend in NYC was the best time ever.
So for our Serendipity-style date, I recreated those special NYC moments with a Tampa flare. I started with an invitation hidden inside the Serendipity DVD case. With snowflakes embellishments and typewriter font, I created an invitation that cleverly outlined our date.
“The best time to ever be
Was our time spent in New York City
And how each moment
Was like a scene from Serendipity.
So let’s relive that date
With some ice and some skates
And lunch at Datz Deli.”
We began the date at Datz Deli. The restaurant was so busy that the only available seating was at the bar. We were all right with that.
To stick with the NYC motif, I ordered the Rockin’ Rueben, but Allan ordered a BBQ Brisket sandwich. I couldn’t eat the whole thing, but I knew I would be hungry again after ice skating.
For the past two holiday seasons, city of Tampa has erected an ice rink at Curtis Hixon Park in the middle of Downtown Tampa, appropriately named Tampa’s Downtown on Ice. Although the rink is small and on this particularly Sunday, very crowded, it filled the bill for the ice skating portion of our date.
Unfortunately, it was hard to hold hands as we skated as we had to swerve around small children. I even fell on my knees at one point, which made me laugh so hard. No matter how small the rink was, we still had huge fun and we left a Serendipity sign to let others know we were there.
Since Allan and I worked up quite a thirst ice skating, we popped over to Taps across the street from Tampa’s Downtown on Ice for a quick pint. We drank to a fun date and toasted twelve great years. Here’s to many more of them!
Family Photos 2011
Just as I had expected, she did it again. Kelly captured some gorgeous shots of my family for our Christmas portraits.
Funny thing, we didn’t have to travel far for our portrait session. All of these photos were taken at the North Pointe Village in our neighborhood. Upon a closer look, you may notice the Pasco office building, Residence Inn, Carrabbas, International Beer Garten or an abandoned Up the Creek Mongolian Buffet in the background.
If you love these photos as much I do, please leave a comment on Kelly’s blog so I can win an 11×14 print. Thank you in advance! 
Holiday Inn Captured My Heart
I took my best girl to the cinema yesterday. Just me and my gal catching a show and we had a swell time, see. A real swank time, I tell you.
It’s hard to shake the circa 1940s slang after being immersed in it for a couple hours. As an early Christmas present, I bought tickets for Holiday Inn for my sister since it’s her favorite Christmas movie. She was surprised to learn that I had never seen it so she asked me to join her rather than her hubby.
With its old world charm, the Tampa Theatre is the perfect cinema for a showing of a classic film and I loved watching the movie for the first time on the big screen as it was intended. The larger than life dance numbers and set designs help your appreciate the art of film-making in a time before CGI and green screens.
Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby’s characters were delightful and endearing, like the way you want to remember these classic Hollywood film stars. Although as beloved as they are, it’s the songs and the dancing that truly steal the show, of course.
The song, White Christmas, makes its debut in Holiday Inn, however, most people know it as the theme song for White Christmas, which will also be showing this holiday season at the Tampa Theatre on December 23.
Much like my sister, Holiday Inn captured my heart with singing and dancing. I enjoyed watching this classic Christmas movie on the big screen so much that I plan to make this a new holiday tradition for us.
That’d be swell, I tell ya. A real hot dog!
Visit Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
Run TBay Giveaway
While I cheered and photographed my friends participating in Longleaf Triathlon, my pals at Suncoast Running gave me something else to cheer about when they hooked me up with this shirt.
Isn’t it cool?
Now Suncoast Running wants to give one Run DMT reader something to cheer about too!
For a chance to win this fun, fitted Run TBay t-shirt, add a comment below. One lucky winner will be selected at random.
Contest ends Sunday, November 13 at midnight.
For additional entries:
- Blog about the Run TBay Giveaway and link back to Run DMT.
- Follow @denisermt and @SuncoastRunning on Twitter.
- Earn an additional entry each time you tweet: Enter to win a shirt from @SuncoastRunning and #RunDMT. Ends 11/13 http://wp.me/pigkS-3eC #RunTBay #giveaway @denisermt
- Like Run DMT and Suncoast Running on Facebook. Each “like” is an additional entry, so be sure to add a new comment for each “like”.
*Photo also submitted to*
A Whole Latte Shaking Going on with NesCafe Dolce Gusto
Monday evening, Kelly and I joined some local foodie bloggers for the NesCafé Dolce Gusto FeedUp at Restaurant BT in South Tampa.
Having dined at Restaurant BT before, I was chomping at the bit to sample her NesCafé Dolce Gusto dish: Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac). Chef BT demonstrated how to prepare the dish, which is featured in the NesCafe Dolce Gusto- The Dinner Party Primer.
Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)
Ingredients
1 lb filet mignon steak
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 Tbsp Oil or butter
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 vine ripe tomatoes
2 cups watercress
1/4 red onion, finely sliced
1 Tbsp Cognac (Courvoisier optional)
Directions
- Cut steak into bite-sized cubes, place in a bowl with garlic, soy sauce. red onion, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Mix well.
- Heat a large, heavy-based pan until very hot. Add oil or butter until brown. Add beef cubes and toss by shaking the pan.
- Turn meat with tongs until brown and seared on the outside but still pink in the center.
- Add congnac and toss before removing from heat.
- Slice tomatoes and arrange on plate to make a decorative base.
- Arrange watercress around or on top of tomatoes and watercress.
- Place the beff in a mound on top of tomatoes and watercress.
- Served with jasmine-scented steamed rice.
The tender bite-sized filet mignon melted in my mouth. It was simply divine and our evening was off to a very satisfying start.
After a few more appetizers and desserts with a Vietnamese flare, we sampled the NesCafé Dolce Gusto. These coffees target a demographic audience of 25-35 year olds in attempt to tap into the Keurig market.
I often drink Starbuck’s Via in a pinch, on the go or while camping and the NesCafé Dolce Gusto is very similar product. As compared to Starbuck’s Vanilla Via, the Dolce Gusto Vanilla Latte Macchiatto has a milder taste. For my sample Dolce Gusto Vanilla Latte Macchiatto, I chose to go a little lighter on the cream and froth, so it needed a bit more sugar, but it was still very smooth and tasty.
Since I don’t like my kitchen counters cluttered with a bunch of small appliances, the NesCafé Dolce Gusto Piccolo is the perfect compact size. Plus, it is very easy to operate. No barista training necessary.
Although I am a Vanilla Latte kind of lady, there are a variety of other NesCafé Dolce Gusto Flavors, including regular brew coffees, cappuccinos, espressos, hot cocoa and iced teas.
And by the looks on all the bloggers’ faces, it gets everyone’s seal of approval.
Now link up and see what If I Could Escape and Gone Bananas are serving for this week’s Friday Food Fight.
*Also submitted at*
Connecting with Tampa Bay Bloggers Offline
Saturday evening, thirteen Bay area bloggers met at The Pub to share, connect and meet the bloggers behind the blogs. Some had met before and some were anxious to meet for the first time.
As a guest, I was looking forward to seeing Raffi of Running Betty, Brian of Digital Running, Maria of Mommy Melee and Angel of Cheeky Sweetie again.
My sisters-in-law Karen of If I Could Escape and Kirsten of Gone Bananas attended the event as well as our friend Susie of Hide ‘N Go Scrap.
But I was really excited meet Caroline of Morningside Mom, Erika of Southern Fried Lives and Clarisa of TBO for the first time.
As host and organizer of the event, I wanted the evening to be worthwhile as well as fun. We started the evening with an ice breaker to judge how well we recognized faces from blogs.
Then, our guest, speaker, Chris Angulo of Vology Data Systems, shared some quick tips on how to optimize our blogs with branding and key terms. He also briefly mentioned Google+ and how it will change the social media platform and connectivity. (Now, if only I could get an invite to be part of the 25,000,000 exclusive club beta users to learn more about it!)
To combat the noise level in the restaurant, I had people moving and mingling to share what they learned.
All that was well and good, but I think it was the swag that stole the night. Seriously, the swag was awesome!
Prior to the event, I posted a request on Facebook and my friends HOOKED ME UP with some rocking chackas for the swag bags, like lip balm and pens from Suncoast Running, haircuts from blo Hair Studio & Color Cafe, stainless steel, travel mugs from Florida Title Services. Not to mention free food coupons from evos, Chick-fil-a and California Pizza Kitchen and a bottle of mango mix1 to wash it all down. A big THANK YOU to all the business that contributed items for the bags!
Suncoast Running
blo Hair Studio & Color Cafe
Pain Relief Centers
Kelly Noel Photography
Florida Title Services, Inc
mix1
evos
Crystal Mango
California Pizza Kitchen
Mia’s Therapeutic Massage
Fit2Run
Chick-fil-a
RDesign
Although the swag bags were sweet, the real treasure was meeting everyone. I can’t wait to do it all again in March. Hopefully, I can get some sweet swag bags together again pull it all off again.
*The bloggers that attended Tampa BlogHer are linking up and sharing their recaps. If you have a post to share, click on the linky below to add your blog to the list. Remember to share the love by visiting another Bay Area Blogger’s post.*
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For Folk’s Sake
No man may be island, but Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café definitely sets itself apart in a sea of usual Tampa dining standards. Situated in heart of Seminole Heights, the red brick-colored building stands out as blatantly as the Seminole Heights Baptist Church.
Upon walking along Ella’s bowling ball edged path and stepping foot into the restaurant, its eclectic sensibility is evident by the art in the yard and its collections hanging on the walls.
Even the bar is a work of art.
In true Southern style, we were welcomed by everyone from the hostess, the bartender, the chef, the owner and lastly our server. With his recommendation, we started our meal with hummus pesto spread drizzled with a balsamic reduction and served with warm soft pita.
Rumor has it that Ella’s organic Angus beef burgers are bar none. My oldest daughter tried The Boring minus the toppings as she didn’t want them getting in the way of the meat. I stole her beer-battered zucchini fritters so she wouldn’t have to subject herself to another veggie in the way of her burger.
Hubby ordered The Stuffed, a half-pound organic raised Angus beef patty stuffed with caramelized onion, gorgonzola and bacon served on a bed of arugula. A name very fitting for this burger since Allan could only finish half of it. So, I helped myself to his sweet potato waffle fries.
Even with food made fresh daily and all natural, organic ingredients, I steered away from the Angus beef burgers and ordered The Good, which may seem silly with menu full of interesting twists on soul food favorites. But I couldn’t resist a homemade veggie burger and my decision didn’t disappoint me. With a chickpea flour base, Ella’s veggie patty was chockfull of whole beans, such as black bean and garbanzo. I made The Good even better and healthier by ordering a side salad to accompany my burger. Besides, I needed to balance out the fried foods I pinched off my family’s plates.
Plus, my guilt-free meal allowed me to indulge in a true Southern summertime classic, Peach Cobbler. Bourbon soaked peaches served warm with homemade vanilla ice cream was a sweet ending to a fantastic meal.
We’re planning another visit to Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café very soon, especially for Soul Food Sunday or a Friday night for the live music. But we’ll certainly visit again in cooler weather to enjoy our meal on Ella’s darling outside dining deck which spotlights another work of art, a huge old oak tree.
*Proudly submitted to*
Something in the Water
When news of this week’s Gallery theme “Water” trickled my way, I jumped in to share my water photos. You see, we’ve had gallons of splashy, splashy fun this summer by cooling off at the spraygrounds around town like the YMCA,
and Curtis Hixon Park,
and Highlander Spray Park,
and Busch Gardens,
and the Florida Aquarium.
Yep, we soaked up as much fun as we could this summer. There’s most certainly something in the water.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
