Over New Years Ken and I traded in our Minnesota long underwears for a little Floridian sun down in Tampa. Why, you might ask? Well you see, my older and only sister, Sarah, recently relocated there for a post doc position at The University of South Florida, so naturally we couldn’t wait to visit!
We began the trip on Anna Maria Island, a small island just southwest of Tampa, that offers up a rare view into “old Florida.” No high rise chains here, just mom and pop establishments with quaint pastel painted facades. We spent our time combing the beach for seashells, indulging in the catch-of-the-day, reminiscing about our childhood and sharing goals for the future (cheesy, but true). I had my big daddy camera with me as we explored the island, so check back tomorrow for more on our island discovery.
Then we headed back to Tampa to explore the Bay Area (in lazy, vacationer fashion of course). Sarah showed us around her neighborhood, Hyde Park, and brought us to her favorite local restaurants. We slept late, ate brunch at noon, moseyed the neighborhood ogling the storied historic homes, and browsed thrift shops for treasures. The blue and white china plate above is actually a $1.99 score from the Salvation Army!
On New Years Eve, Ken and I rented bikes through, Coast, Tampa’s bike share program, and Sarah led the way to Ybor City, (pronounced ee-bor), Tampa’s historic Latin Quarter for crazy good Cuban sandwiches, local brews, and Cuban-style hand-rolled cigars. (When in Rome!)
As night fell on the last day of 2014, we headed back to Hyde Park for a catnap before strolling over to Bella’s Italian Cafe for dreamy handmade pasta and limoncello–a deliciously memorable way to end the year! Thank you tour guide, Sarah, for showing us around your town. We can’t wait to get back there and continue the exploration with you!
