Photos courtesy of the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts

Spring is springing in the ‘Burg which means it’s time for the annual Art in Bloom event at the Museum of Fine Arts! As part of our local landscape, this exhibit presents a living four-day floral art installation pairing some of the Bay area’s finest floral artists with works of art throughout the museum. 

What makes this event so special is its unique combination of art and nature and the way it creates an immersive experience for museum visitors. The pieces add a multi-sensory encounter for those who attend. Intermingled with the scent of flowers is a contrast of colors, shapes, and textures. … Read More

A still from the movie Little Satchmo. Courtesy of John Alexander.

On January 30, a sold-out crowd at Studio@620 had the rare pleasure of screening the acclaimed PBS film Little Satchmo, followed by a talk with the film’s subject and star, Louis Armstrong’s “secret” daughter, Sharon Preston-Folta. 

Green Book of Tampa Bay and the Woodson African American Museum presented the event, which was sponsored by the Pinellas County Urban League. Therapist Dr. LaDonna Butler moderated the post-screening “fireside chat,” which packed a powerful emotional punch. 

“I was unprepared for the magic that happened during the whole event,” said Green Book of Tampa Bay co-founder Hillary Van Dyke.… Read More

Chief, winner of Most Beautiful Boat in 2023.

With its waterfront lined with masts bobbing in calm water, ropes clinking against metal like wind chimes, St. Petersburg has a rich sailing tradition. The bay offers a large, protected playground for experts and beginners alike. World champions and Olympic medalists have called these waters home. But not all winners are the fastest. The St. Petersburg Classic Regatta is a beloved tradition that is about more than sailing.  

In a world where technology is rapidly changing the sport, a group of dedicated sailors has created a unique way to hold on to traditions.… Read More

Rouge plant, true to its name, was used by indigenous Floridians to pigment their skin. Image by Jen Tyson

When you picture your favorite Florida landscapes, what plants do you see? Redolent plumerias? Bold, heart-shaped elephant ears? The traffic-cone orange plumes of bird of paradise or graceful fronds of coconut palms? These iconic flora have all found their way into Florida’s greenscapes. And, despite the fact that they come from across the world – hailing from Central America and the Caribbean, Asia, South Africa, and Oceania, respectively – they have come, over time, to evoke that special Florida feeling: verdant, tropical, and wild.… Read More

WTE holds events every month, as well as online webinars and tech mentoring, always free of charge. Photo courtesy of WTE.

It’s no secret that St. Petersburg, particularly downtown, is a growing hot spot for new-to-the-heat Floridians. Many of these transplants are young professionals, particularly tech professionals, including growing numbers of women in tech. 

Traditionally, the technology industry isn’t known to be the most inclusive for women, and that’s the reason for the Tampa-born Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship (WTE) organization. 

“I founded WTE in 2022 after witnessing the glaring gender disparities in tech and entrepreneurship,” says Raechel Canipe, CEO of WTE.… Read More

Mayor Ken Welch has called for another look at Albert Whitted and alternative uses, noting again possible expansion of the downtown waterfront parks. Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg.

You might think aviation in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County began 1914 with the launching of the first commercial airline from the St. Petersburg Pier. Actually, the city’s aviation roots can be traced to what would become Albert Whitted Airport, where the first recorded flight in the county took off in 1912. 

In that year celebrated pioneer pilot Leonard Warden Bonney brought a new Wright Brothers biplane to St. Pete as part of an exhibition tour.… Read More

Without a large or flashing sign, Harvey’s 4th Street Grill might go overlooked by a tourist, but for locals, this cozy restaurant has long been a popular gathering spot for co-workers, friends, and family. Nestled in the corner of an otherwise ordinary shopping center, you know you’ve found it when you see the green awning and pristine landscaping leading to a treasure trove of St. Pete history. This April, the city icon celebrates 40 years of business, so it seems only fitting that we take a walk down memory lane. 

A Family Affair

I learned quickly that you cannot discuss the history of Harvey’s without discussing the patriarch of the family, Dan Harvey Sr.… Read More

This is a story about an unexpected and shocking diagnosis, a couple’s determination to never give up the fight, and a community rising up, circling the wagons to lend support.  

On August 28, 2022, Jim Wilson, a former professor of law at Cleveland State University, lost his balance, the room started to spin, and his muscles turned to rubber. As he started to slide to the floor, his wife Mimi Lord guided him to the couch in their classic Old Northeast Craftsman-style home. “We thought it was a stroke,” said Jim. 

The couple rushed to the hospital, and after multiple tests, doctors told Jim the terrible news.… Read More

Bob Preston was a student at St. Pete High when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941. The professional photographer who worked on the school yearbook was soon drafted to serve in the Army. With no formal training in photography, Preston stepped in to take over as yearbook photo editor. After graduating in 1943, he too joined the Army. When asked what experience he had, he said, “Photography!”

Preston was assigned to the Army Signal Corp as a combat photographer, eventually ending up with General Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters in the Pacific.… Read More

Old Northeast resident Mallory Lykes Dimmitt admits to having a “big audacious goal” – permanently protecting millions of acres of natural, wild Florida from development. It’s a task that might seem impossible, but as CEO of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Dimmitt is committed to making it happen. “We are acting now for future generations,” Dimmitt said. “We may not be able to protect every acre, but we can protect as much as we can, as fast as we can.”

I met with Dimmitt in her new spacious office at The Factory St. Pete, a burgeoning creative arts destination in the Warehouse Arts District.… Read More