Niece of the Week: Caitlyn Brookman
OMG, our niece got her driver’s license today! Look out, Wisconsin, here she comes. There are two very proud uncles in Tampa.
You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up!
One beautiful day, we were walking past a sidewalk cafe in Ybor City. There, sitting down, were two of our favorite grandmothers of Ybor. We stopped and asked, “What are you two ladies up to today?” With a big smile, they replied, “We are having a Sicilian lunch today.” We had to ask, “What’s a Sicilian lunch?” With big smiles, the ladies said, “That’s when we drink a bottle of wine and then decide if we should have lunch or another bottle!”
El Goya
Who remembers El Goya? Recently, Gilda Golden posted this beautiful message. “The bright neon sign, on the corner of the building. This (El Goya) was OUR answer to ‘Studio 54.’ There will never again be a club that will be able to come close to what it was. Once you entered the front door, you entered a magical wonderland…”
Gilda now lives in Prague, Czech Republic and has written a book about her life. We have many fun memories of Gilda, from her doing “Sister P-rn” on stage at El Goya, to the time at Mix 106 when she accidentally broke the huge wall mirror. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/gilda.golden.
1603 Tattoo and Piercing Company
This week, we embarked on a personal tour, led by Skip Sampson of the new 1603 Tattoo and Piercing Company. They have moved into an incredible beautiful space that is now their new home. It is located in the Metro Wellness and Community Centers building, on the first floor, at 1315 E. 7th Avenue in Ybor City. This new location has all the latest in tattoos and piercing, with creative artists and hi-tech equipment. Behind it is a new garden with a separate entrance to a new hair color salon coming soon. The next time you’re in Ybor, be sure to stop by and check it all out for yourself. For more information, visit 1603tattoo.com.
The Braid Ybor City
Now open in Ybor City is “The Braid – Mind Body Energy Center Inc.” It’s located in the Casa de La La at 1901 E. 5th Avenue. Members are encouraged to stop by daily from noon to midnight. This beautiful event space will be hosting a wide variety of parties, seminars and learning experiences. Visit their website for more details at tampabraid.com.
Tampa’s New Foodie Area
The new foodie boutiques and craft beer stops in Seminole Heights are earning new devotees each month. What we knew were the iconic traditionals. Bo’s Ice Cream at 7101 N. Florida. Still a must! Nicko’s Diner Car on N. Florida where ‘the King,’ Elvis Presley, ate during one of his 1956 concert tours. A marker still indicates where Elvis sat.
A whole lot of new businesses have sprung up in the Seminole Heights district. Let me list some new culinary attractions in the neighborhood: Bourgeois Pig (7701 N. Nebraska), where they serve soup, salad and tacos; Ella’s Folk Art Cafe (5119 N. Florida); Taco Bus, on the corner of Hillsborough and Nebraska Avenues; Front Porch (5924 N. Florida); and The Refinery (5137 N. Florida), whose owner, Greg Baker, was nominated for the James Beard National Award in 2012, 2013 and 2014. There are a few others…visit mcfilm.co for the full list.
So have a great night out and enjoy our new foodie area in Seminole Heights.
