It was a chilly January morning in The Tampa Bay Metro area. The air temperature was about 54° as the sun was starting to rise over the Bay and the water temperature was just above 60°. Most people wouldn’t even dream of sticking a toe in the water, but on Gandy Beach, 150 men and women had donned wetsuits and were getting set to dive in for a very good cause! It was the 6th annual Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, a charity fundraising event that benefits The Navy SEAL Foundation. This charity has a four-star rating by Charity Navigator and has been certified by Charities of America as a “Best in America” Charity.… Read More

It is St. Petersburg’s sunny climate and surrounding rich aquatic beauty and resources that are fundamental in making our city so special. Early city leaders appreciated this and were pivotal in moving our community in the direction of both a world-class destination for tourists and a great place to live which lasts to this day. The first Pier Task Force noted that a new Pier should “speak to our city’s beautiful aquatic setting,” and that the “architecture of the main building should reflect our history and unique identity as a City” and be “a worthy symbol of our great City.” The Pier has served as St.… Read More

Ann Goldman and Lacie (therapy dog) brighten the day for Cooper Hicks

Lacie’s visits to the Ronald McDonald house are a welcome diversion for the residents and guests, especially for the siblings of sick children who remain there with their families while a sibling receives treatment. When she’s not showering her audience with joy and many kisses, Lacie puts on quite a show, too.… Read More

Richard Montague and his late wife Maude, together for 74 years

His life story bears that out. As a young man with a scholarship at stake, he entered a piano competition in high school and won a full ride to Syracuse University. Next, inspired by a Teddy Roosevelt speech, “The Strenuous Life,” he went west to teach at Southern Idaho College of Education in Albion.… Read More

van Panesis and Dion Lim

A few months later, in search of a permanent residence, Dion and Evan began exploring neighborhoods on both sides of the Bay. When they discovered the Old Northeast, they were instantly hooked.
“It’s exactly what we wanted in a neighborhood, and it’s the lifestyle we wanted,” Dion explains.… Read More

Curtis & Ryan Grosjean (Asst. Cameraman) set up for scene of villain falling from a balcony

Halloween spirit and enthusiasm shine brightly in the Old Northeast.

I had been informed… I had even been warned. But none of the descriptions about Halloween in the Old Northeast truly did my first actual experience of it any justice. Neighbors telling me they gave away over 3,000 pieces of candy before 9pm – I had just smiled, made the appropriate impressed reaction, and assumed they had their zeros wrong. Nobody could give away that much candy – that would not only cost a fortune, it would require a constant stream of delivery, not the usual Halloween doorbell, grab the bowl, greet some kids, close the door routine.… Read More

As a musician strings through the notes, we are pulled into the music. They begin to string us along like the notes they play. We float away to another place, soaking in the melody hitting our ears. As it kisses our ears, our feet begin to tap and our bodies begin to sway. We’re losing all thoughts, living in the moment and enjoying what we hear. While in the moment, we don’t think of how long the musician practiced, how many nights they may not have slept, how many years they have worked on their skill… we just enjoy the now.… Read More

Celeste Evans, one of our Old Northeast Neighbors, was one of Canada’s first and most successful female magicians.

This May, the Florida Magic Convention celebrated its 50th anniversary in Orlando. Neighbors from the Old Northeast and surrounding areas attended as guests on behalf of the Tampa Bay Magic Club. Among those present was one neighbor who enjoyed a professional career in magic, as one of Canada’s first female magicians (and one of the most successful female magicians to date): Celeste Evans.

Evans once thrilled audiences with her performances of dove magic – audiences which included Caroline Kennedy, Indira Gandhi, packed houses in Las Vegas, party guests at the Playboy mansion, U.S.… Read More

George and Lucy, the two remaining flamingos from the original flock of seventeen at Sunken Gardens

Come to the Sunshine City!” Images on postcards, billboards, and in newspapers of the bathing beauties on St. Petersburg’s beaches circled the United States. Sunshine, happiness, relaxation, and ultimate paradise stung Northerners worse than the snow against their face. The harsh reality that they were shoveling snow – unlike the Southerners who were shoveling sand – could not be avoided. While battling the winter, they began to place themselves in the images they saw. Through the early 1900s, St. Petersburg had a large marketing push to lure tourists to the area.… Read More