Anyway, there were hundreds of people who came out to watch the parade of Dali-esque beings who made the journey from old home to new.  I’m not going to write about the details of the new museum – much better for you to get your information straight from the source, at the Dali Museum website.  Rather, I’ve chosen to show you another parade image or two, as well as a shot of the front of the new Dali.  It looks absolutely spectacular – I’m very excited to make my first visit!

The Florida Orchestra’s Annual Free Pops in the Park concert takes place tomorrow, October 16th, at 7:00 PM in Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg.  Once again this year, it looks as though the concert timing coincides perfectly with our new cool front that arrived just last night, so it should be a glorious evening to throw down a blanket, eat a picnic dinner (or maybe just dessert), and enjoy the wonderful music that the Florida Orchestra always delivers.  The park setting is just a very fun way to listen to the Orchestra, and the musicians always seem to thrive on this outdoor setting – I guess it’s a nice change of pace for them.  If you want to get a good spot for your blanket, go early – this is a very popular happening!  And, as always, the concert finishes off with the 1812 Overture, played at the same time as a nice little fireworks display is set off over the Vinoy Basin – it’s a perfect pairing!  If you’d like to go, and you’re not familiar with Vinoy Park, it’s at the far east end of 5th Avenue North, where 5th Avenue dead-ends at Tampa Bay.  Parking will be available at lots around the downtown area, or along Beach Drive or along NorthShore Park…

This concert has been presented for free, outdoors, each year for the past seventeen years thanks, in large part to local Realtor Helen Torres who seventeen years ago pledged $20,000 per year to the Florida Orchestra for the next twenty years in exchange for this annual outdoor concert/gift to St. Petersburg.  Three more years in her pledge – I hope that, at the end of the twenty years, someone else steps up and takes over for Helen.  In the meanwhile, we’ll continue to attend each year and to enjoy the music.  In the words of Joni Mitchell, they’ll be ”playin’ real good, for free”.  Just another one of the many reasons that St. Petersburg is a fantastic place to live and play!

One week from tomorrow, on Saturday, September 25th, St. Petersburg residents will get the chance to experience Arts Alive Free Museum Day!  St. Petersburg’s major museums will throw open their doors and welcome everyone in, free of charge! This will be the sixth annual event, done in coordination with the Smithsonian Institute and Smithsonian Magazine. The event is taking place in many major cities around the country, so if you’re not near St. Petersburg, be sure to check your local media for details in your area.  But for St. Petersburg, I can tell you that you will be welcomed, at no cost, at the following great museums:

• The Dali Museum
• Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum
• Florida Holocaust Museum
• Great Explorations Children’s Museum
• Morean Arts Center and Hot Shop
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Pier Aquarium
• St. Petersburg Museum of History

For more details, such as addresses, museum hours, description of current exhibitions, etc,  you can check out this link  on the City of St. Petersburg’s website.

And if you’d like a larger version of any of the photos shown here, just click on the individual image.

But a full bakery, with lots of amazing choices!  That’s what I’ve been waiting for!  And it happened, early yesterday morning, at the new Cassis Bakery on Beach Drive. French pastries, croissants, eclairs, artisan breads, even homemade sorbets and ice cream.  If you’re a sweet lover and a downtown St. Pete lover, now’s your chance – you definitely have an excuse to indulge!  Take a sneak peek by checking out the photos below – for a better look at any of them, click on the photo for a full-size version.

Something else that disappeared, over the years, to make room for expansion, was the enormous Indan Shell Mound that was on the hospital grounds and for which Mound Park was named. At some point, the need to grow the hospital became so great that the city leveled the mound – something that I am very sure would not be allowed to happen today!

For a larger view of any of the photos, just click on the photo itself.

So, with that prelude out of the way, I want to tell you today about Bowled Restaurant, at 3451 4th Street North in St. Petersburg. If you don’t know about Bowled, and if you enjoy eating out, you really owe it to yourself to try them.  After driving past the place for a year and a half, always meaning to stop by ‘someday’, my wife and I finally went into Bowled for the first time just a couple of months ago. We were incorrectly sort of expecting Bowled to be one of those Asian ‘noodle’ restaurants that have become so popular in recent years.  I guess it was because of the ‘Bowled’ name.  To be sure, they do offer Pad Thai as one of their entrees, so if that’s what you want, they can take care of you just fine.  But there is so much more!

Bowled is casual, but with a touch of class.   Their menu could be described, in the very best sense possible, as eclectic.  The offerings range from light to rich to downright decadent!  There are options, fantastic ones, for meat lovers, for vegetarians, and for vegans. In addition to being absolutely delicious, the food is also a feast for the eyes, always.  In the photo below, which was dinner for my wife and I a couple of nights ago, I ordered chicken picatta; my wife, a filet.  She ordered it without the Gorgonzola and caramelized onion topping and with the Barolo demi-glaze on the side, and still it came out looking elegant! (Please click on the photo for a larger version/better view.)

Something else that attracts patrons to Bowled is the attitude of the owner and staff and the feeling that they are truly happy that you’re there.  If he can possibly find time, owner Michael Cecere will step out from the kitchen to greet you, to ask you how things are, and to thank you for coming.  And he strongly encourages feedback and input.  On the Bowled Facebook page, which just topped the 1,000 mark for Fans, Michael often mentions the specials of the day and asks patrons whether they think that a particular item should be added to their menu. 

I could go on and on, but I’ll stop.  If you know me and you trust me, you should try Bowled.  If you don’t know me (or you don’t trust me), try Bowled anyway!  You won’t be sorry!

But, what a difference eight months can make!  As you can see in the photo below (please click on the photo for a larger view), nothing remains of the old center; the new Fresh Market has truly taken shape – and it looks as though it’s going to have room for a lot of great stuff inside!  I’ve been impressed with the quality of construction as it has been going up, and I’m pleased with the look of the building.  It could have been yet another boxy building on the corner, but, instead, it’s an interesting and attractive structure.

I wish that I could give you a precise opening date, but when I contacted Jordan Worrall, the man responsible for Public Relations for Fresh Market, he said that they do not yet have a confirmed opening date – they do feel certain that it will open this Fall, but nothing more specific than that.  He promised me an opportunity to get inside and get some preview photos when the time draws closer, and you can be sure that, when that happens, I’ll update with a new post.   

The Chihuly Collection is presented by the Morean Arts Center. For full details on the Chihuly Collection, as well as information on the many special opening events scheduled for this weekend, check out this link.

[For a larger, full-size view of the photo, please click on the picture.]