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!

Guests were encouraged to come in Dali-esque attire, if possible.  And some did exactly that, just beautifully!  Although I was not able to attend the Carnivale, I did spot these two lovely women at the Pops in the Park concert earlier in the evening, dressed in their Dali best, and they graciously allowed me to photograph them for this post.  Their attire, created by local designer Ivanka Ska, would have made Dali proud!

The new Dali is scheduled to open early in 2011.  I’ll publish additional posts, showing progress and updates, over the coming year.

Half-Dressed for the Carnivale (click on picture for larger image)

I’ve been doing this blog for a few months now.  Every once in awhile, I sort of step back and look at my posts and try to make sure I’m capturing the flavor of St. Petersburg as well as I could be.  A few days ago, I looked at my subtitle – it says, “A Look at Places, People, City Life, Happenings, History and More…”

And I decided that I’ve been a little slack on the “People” component.

So I’m going to try to add a little more of that piece and try to get back to the balance that I had in mind.

Who knows what person or people I’ll post about?  I don’t.  I kind of decided that I’ll know him/her/them when I see him/her/them.

And so, on Saturday night, while my wife and I were enjoying the Pops in the Park Florida Orchestra concert at Vinoy Park, I saw someone who seemed to fit the bill for me.  His name is Jacob.  I’m not sure about the rest of his life, but on Saturday night, his purpose was to create a message on the sidewalk, one that was eye-catching and colorful and bright and cheerful.  I’ve seen his work before, at the Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Petersburg.  I didn’t know it was his work at the time, but when I spoke with him Saturday evening, I found out that it was. 

Anyway, on Saturday night, his raison d’être was to let the world know about the coming of the new Bayfront Baby Place.  It’s part of the new All Children’s Hospital complex that’s opening in a couple of months.  I posted about the new hospital facility a couple of weeks ago.  And because Jacob’s sidewalk messages are so bright and bold and cheerful, I’m happy to provide a little more publicity for the Bayfront Baby Place by posting these photos.

And as for the man behind the chalk, I only had a fleeting glimpse of Jacob’s life.  But I can tell you that he seems to love doing his sidewalk magic.  And, as families walked by, and he’d see children looking longingly at the chalk and at him and wondering why they couldn’t stop and do some of their own writing, Jacob always paused and said something nice to the kids, and he included advice about finding their own talent and doing good things with their lives. 

People make the world go ’round.  Jacob is one of the many interesting people that make St. Petersburg what it is – a fun place to live!

[All of the photos can be seen in a large image size just by clicking once on the photo.]

And what a perfect night to have an outdoor concert!  The sky was largely blue, but there were just enough clouds to make things interesting as the sun moved lower in the sky.  Temperatures were in the 60′s, people wore sweaters and jackets, and it just felt good!  The music began around 7:00 PM and ended around 9:00, with fireworks over the Vinoy Basin as the 1812 Overture was played by the Orchestra.  One encore, Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue, brought everyone to their feet, and as people began their mass exodus from the park, you could see that many of them were still marching to the silent drumbeats in their heads…

If you missed the concert, I’m sorry.  But it’ll be back again next year, thanks, in large part to local Realtor Helen Torres who sixteen 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.  Four 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, I’ll continue to attend each year and to enjoy the music.  In the words of Joni Mitchell, they were “playin’ real good, for free”.  Just another one of the many reasons that it’s great to live in St. Petersburg…

Pops In The Park (click on photo for larger image)

Pops in the Park

The Florida Orchestra’s Annual Free Pops in the Park concert takes place this coming Saturday, October 17th, at 7:00 PM in Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg.  This year, it looks as though the concert timing coincides perfectly with our expected cool front next weekend, 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…