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!

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.] 

According to their website, the new museum will open in 211 days, 12 hours, 39 minutes, and 34 seconds.  I, for one, am very excited about it!

[for a larger, high resolution photo, click on the picture below] 

I have not tried Cassis yet, but I promise that I will, and soon – it looks beautiful inside, and I love the arrangements for outside seating – these high-tech swing-out umbrellas each have a built-in light, so that you’re not eating in the dark at night!  And the bar inside the restaurant looks just amazing from my window view.  As soon as I have a chance to eat here, I’ll post again with more details any my very objective opinion of the place.  But I was in the neighborhood one early morning a few days ago and had a chance to get this photo and wanted to mention Cassis right away – I love the fact that we have new restaurants opening downtown, and I’m happy to spread the word! (Please click on the photo for a larger image)

It’s always a pleasure to see the furniture, art, wall treatments and other accessories that are presented in these showhouses.  And with this year’s location at Ovation, there’s the added pleasure of the incredible views of Tampa Bay and downtown.  The Showhouse will be open this year from March 6th through April 4th.  For hours and additional information, check the Florida Orchestra’s page  about the house on their website.  It’s fun to see these condos and the design work, and the ticket price goes to support our great orchestra.  And, for a bonus while you’re there, JMC, Ovation’s developer, has hired folks to keep their two model condos open whenever the showhouse is open.  So you actually get to check out four separate condos for the price of your ticket!  Can’t beat that deal!  Also, be sure to walk out to the east of Ovation and check out the “O Wave” public art sculpture.  It’s a beautiful piece of art that was commissioned by JMC specifically for this property, and its design reflects the spirit and feel of the building.  For a look at some High Dynamic Range photos that I took of the O Wave sculpture last year, check out my post on it. 

Oh, if, by chance, you fall in love with Ovation while you’re there, please be sure to give me a call.  I’ll be happy to work with you to negotiate the best deal for you!  It’s always a smart move to have a Buyer’s Agent working with you if you’re interested in buying ANY new condominium.  There is a misconception that, in a new condominium development, you have to work with the sales staff on site.  That is not the case.  Although they are nice people and will certainly be happy to help you, they work for the condo developer, not for you.  Call your own Realtor (or me, if you don’t have an existing relationship with a Realtor) and be sure that you have someone looking out for your interests! 

Fresh Market Coming to Cocoanut Grove Site (click on photo for larger image)

For a good many years, the corner of Fourth Street North and 30th Avenue was the home of the Cocoanut Grove Motel, a grouping of cottages that hummed with activity every winter, as the tourists flocked back down to St. Petersburg to escape the cold north.  But by the 1980′s, the old cottages were getting pretty ramshackle and the motel’s days were numbered.  In February of 1987, bulldozers rolled in and razed the old place, followed soon by the construction of a brand new shopping plaza, one that retained the Cocoanut Grove name. 

For a long time, the new center stayed busy, but a few years back, the place seemed to go downhill and tenants began closing down or moving to other locations.  The very last active business in the center was the Athenian Garden Greek Restaurant, and they moved out several months ago to find a new home downtown, at 21 3rd Street North.

I’ve been wondering about Cocoanut Grove each time I drive by, because it’s on a good sized piece of land and it’s in a very good location, one where the right kind of business should be able to thrive.  And then, a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the new sign spring up in front of the place.  Fresh Market.

For those who don’t know Fresh Market, the nearest one is in Clearwater, at 25961 US Highway 19.  They’ve been there since 1998, and everyone I know who has ever entered the place has become a devoted fan.  Fresh Markets specialize in high quality perishable products, presented in an environment that feels good and by people who seem glad to be working there. 

Just to be clear, I’m not getting any kickbacks from Fresh Market!  But I want you to have a little feel for what’s coming:  Their produce departments have over 400 items, including a large selection of organic produce.  Their bakeries sell 30 freshly baked breads each day and 15 varieties of freshly baked pies each day.  Their delis have more than 200 varieties of cheeses.  They have a full service meat counter with butchers on site.  They sell ‘signature’ sandwiches, and you can call or fax ahead to have them ready for pickup.

In addition to all of that, there are all sorts of specialty items that are hard to find in other stores.  My wife’s brother lives in San Francisco, and he got us practically addicted to Peet’s coffee, a local brand out there.  No chance of finding it here – we either had to wait for her brother to visit or we had to order online.  And then we walked into Clearwater’s Fresh Market, and there was Peet’s!  Similar scenarios abound through the store. 

St. Petersburg’s Fresh Market is scheduled to open in late Summer of 2010.  I’ll keep an eye on progress and will update in a few months.  Meanwhile, my mouth is watering…

Old Cocoanut Grove Shopping Plaza

Today, All Children’s is the only specialty licensed children’s hospital on Florida’s West Coast.  St. Petersburg residents are extremely lucky to have such a facility in our city, and apparently they know it, because many very generous donors have made it possible to build a brand new, larger, better All Children’s, and it is scheduled to open in December of this year. 

To make their stays less traumatic and as pleasant as possible, the New All Children’s will have individual rooms for kids, with space for parents to sleep over.  There’s a rooftop playground planned, and a very cool feature called the EyeClick Interactivity System.  It uses ceiling-mounted cameras and infrared light sources to give visitors an immersive experience that responds to their movements and changes on the floor.  There’s also a movie theater, video bingo, and plays and other activities in the works.

In terms of care, the list of features is even more impressive.  The new hospital is a ten story facility with 259 beds.  Included is a 97 bed neonatal intensive care unit, twelve state of the art operating suites, a cardiovascular intensive care unit, a pediatric cancer and blood disorders center, and a pediatric emergency room.  On the west side of the building, with a separate entrance, there will be Bayfront Baby Place, a separate Obstetrics Care Unit combined with a Well-Baby nursery.  There’s much more to the new hospital, and when it does open its doors, I’ll get some more photos and will do another post.  But for now, we can all just feel good, knowing that we have such an excellent new facility about to open here.

New All Children's Hospital (click on picture for larger image)

Bayfront Baby Place (click on picture for larger image)