Happy Monday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was terrific. I volunteered on Friday and Sunday, which made for a somewhat tasky weekend but I made sure my Saturday was jam-packed with FUN, FUN, FUN to compensate.
My Saturday might as well have been called "All of Lily's Favorite Things and Bagpipes too!" The weather was gorgeous, top down convertible time and I took full advantage!
I first started out my fantastic Saturday, by heading over to Seminole Heights. Florida. I was on a shopping mission! Cleanse Apothecary Bath and Body Boutique was having a weekend shopping promotion event. They carry two product lines from my home state of Minnesota, so I get homesick whenever I visit! The owners are fabulous. I love supporting small businesses. I also love that for they were serving a blood orange, Fresca & tequila blend for the special event. (Fresca + Tequila = Happy Lily.)
From Seminole Heights it was over to Cephas Hot Shop in Ybor City for a tamarind drink and an aloe shake with freshly machete-d coconut water. Tamarind supposedly helps cleanse your liver, so chasing tequila with tamarind maybe zeroed out the effect? There were five newbies trying the bitter but gastro-intestinally effective aloe shake. It's like dinner theater (or perhaps Fear Factor) watching the newbies drink aloe shakes! (Read more about Cephas - the "Guru of My Colon" here.)
We had lunch at the Acropolis Greek Taverna in Ybor City. My favorite is the Acropolis Salad - a Greek salad with Gyro Meat slices. A little known fact, it is a Tampa tradition to hide a scoop of potato salad in Greek salads. I know this may sound gross to some, but it is highly addictive. Now when I have a Greek salad anywhere else in the country, I look in vain for some hidden potato salad. Once in Las Vegas, a Tampa friend ordered a side of potato salad with her Greek salad because she said "Otherwise it's just not the same!" The paramour had the Pastitso which I consider to be like a Greek lasagna - ground beef, pasta and a béchamel sauce.
If we had had time, I would have loved to be having Greek food in the Greek sponge docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida. My favorite restaurant there is Dimitri's On The Water. However Ybor City is a heck of a lot closer to my house than Tarpon Springs, so when I get a Greek food craving I usually go to the Acropolis.
We also had drinks at The Independent Bar and Cafe in Seminole Heights. I love, love, love The Independent. If you're looking for a laid back place to have a beer, this is it. I love sitting on their patio. Often there is live music and always there is a fun crowd.
Although I was experiencing total Murphy's Law there on Saturday. If I go to The Independent with female friends, the crowd is always couples or families. But if I go there with a guy, then the place is crowded with good-looking MEN, MEN, MEN! Saturday was no exception. There was a large table of adorable military men who were rather appreciative of my shorts and my 4 inch summer heels. Once again it's either feast or famine in my world when it comes to single men!
At The Independent, I had my favorite Zombie Killer Cherry Cyser. Because I think I am secretly illiterate, I always thought this was a cherry cider beer. Um no - it's an apple-honey wine with cherry juice added. And the only reason I know that is because I read it on the picture I took. When the bottle is in front of me, I am too busy drinking it to read the label! Needless to say it is super yummy no matter what is in it!
It was time to bid Date #1 goodbye and turn to Date #2. I was off to St. Pete to Sylvia's "Queen of Soul Food" Restaurant. If you haven't been, you MUST go. (Read my review of Sylvia's here.)
My "Date #2" was actually me taking my friend "Ms. Kentucky" out for a belated birthday evening. We were going to have a picnic dinner while we watched American Stage Theatre's production of the musical "The Wiz" held in the park at Demen's Landing. This is located next to the water in St. Petersburg and is just an ideal, tranquil spot.
Last time I saw American Stage Theatre in the Park, there was a family next to us that brought fried chicken and champagne. I had Picnic Envy! So this year I knew I was bringing fried chicken.
Not trying to promote any racial stereotypes here, but knowing Ms. Kentucky had yet to try Sylvia's soul food - I thought a soul food picnic for The Wiz musical was a good theme meal. Is that racially offensive? It's hard to know where to draw the line.
We had fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, potato salad, fresh fruit - and for dessert - Sylvia's awesome coconut cake. About a dozen middle school girls wearing Emerging Youth Leaders t-shirts were sitting next to us with giant bags of M&Ms and Cheetos. They gave us an appreciative nod at our chicken picnic.
Now normally sitting next to a dozen rambunctious young girls at "the theater" would be highly annoying - but these girls were so funny and adorable. They were just loving life, full of smiles and spunk. They chatted with us and I just wanted to make them all honorary little sisters.
American Stage Theatre's version of The Wiz was awesome. Their annual show in the park is always a big success and so worth attending! Because I have been volunteering at a local performing arts theater, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the local Tampa acting community. In "The Wiz," I knew the Director and two of the actors personally. Plus "The Cowardly Lion" and the piano player have performed a local cabaret act that I have seen several times. If you are in or near St. Petersburg, Florida, I highly recommend going to see "The Wiz." It's a great event for singles, couples, families … an all around good night.
St. Petersburg was hopping when we went to see The Wiz. It was also the Blues Festival, the Rowdies Soccer Game, the Symphony and the Ziggy Marley concert. Downtown St. Pete was packed with lots of people having a great time! The Rowdies game had the UK bagpipe band "Red Hot Chili Pipers" playing a post-game concert.
Because it's an outdoor stadium, we caught a good chunk of the concert for free. Trust me, you have not lived until you have heard the Red Hot Chili Pipers doing a bag pipe version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." If you have one goal for 2014, this should be it.
We then hit the local Starbucks as the Stephen "Ziggy" Marley concert was letting out. I was feeling bland not wearing rasta colors or having dreadlocks! But the concert goers were mellow and friendly.
The perfect Saturday ended with a walk along the water. The weather was perfect - not too hot, not too cold with an almost full moon dancing off the water as we walked along the shoreline.
I highly recommend all the places I mentioned in this blog post if you are in or visiting the Tampa Bay area. I hope you had a Perfect Weekend too - and as always, thank you for reading!
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was terrific. I volunteered on Friday and Sunday, which made for a somewhat tasky weekend but I made sure my Saturday was jam-packed with FUN, FUN, FUN to compensate.
My Saturday might as well have been called "All of Lily's Favorite Things and Bagpipes too!" The weather was gorgeous, top down convertible time and I took full advantage!
I first started out my fantastic Saturday, by heading over to Seminole Heights. Florida. I was on a shopping mission! Cleanse Apothecary Bath and Body Boutique was having a weekend shopping promotion event. They carry two product lines from my home state of Minnesota, so I get homesick whenever I visit! The owners are fabulous. I love supporting small businesses. I also love that for they were serving a blood orange, Fresca & tequila blend for the special event. (Fresca + Tequila = Happy Lily.)
From Seminole Heights it was over to Cephas Hot Shop in Ybor City for a tamarind drink and an aloe shake with freshly machete-d coconut water. Tamarind supposedly helps cleanse your liver, so chasing tequila with tamarind maybe zeroed out the effect? There were five newbies trying the bitter but gastro-intestinally effective aloe shake. It's like dinner theater (or perhaps Fear Factor) watching the newbies drink aloe shakes! (Read more about Cephas - the "Guru of My Colon" here.)
We had lunch at the Acropolis Greek Taverna in Ybor City. My favorite is the Acropolis Salad - a Greek salad with Gyro Meat slices. A little known fact, it is a Tampa tradition to hide a scoop of potato salad in Greek salads. I know this may sound gross to some, but it is highly addictive. Now when I have a Greek salad anywhere else in the country, I look in vain for some hidden potato salad. Once in Las Vegas, a Tampa friend ordered a side of potato salad with her Greek salad because she said "Otherwise it's just not the same!" The paramour had the Pastitso which I consider to be like a Greek lasagna - ground beef, pasta and a béchamel sauce.
If we had had time, I would have loved to be having Greek food in the Greek sponge docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida. My favorite restaurant there is Dimitri's On The Water. However Ybor City is a heck of a lot closer to my house than Tarpon Springs, so when I get a Greek food craving I usually go to the Acropolis.
We also had drinks at The Independent Bar and Cafe in Seminole Heights. I love, love, love The Independent. If you're looking for a laid back place to have a beer, this is it. I love sitting on their patio. Often there is live music and always there is a fun crowd.
Although I was experiencing total Murphy's Law there on Saturday. If I go to The Independent with female friends, the crowd is always couples or families. But if I go there with a guy, then the place is crowded with good-looking MEN, MEN, MEN! Saturday was no exception. There was a large table of adorable military men who were rather appreciative of my shorts and my 4 inch summer heels. Once again it's either feast or famine in my world when it comes to single men!
At The Independent, I had my favorite Zombie Killer Cherry Cyser. Because I think I am secretly illiterate, I always thought this was a cherry cider beer. Um no - it's an apple-honey wine with cherry juice added. And the only reason I know that is because I read it on the picture I took. When the bottle is in front of me, I am too busy drinking it to read the label! Needless to say it is super yummy no matter what is in it!
It was time to bid Date #1 goodbye and turn to Date #2. I was off to St. Pete to Sylvia's "Queen of Soul Food" Restaurant. If you haven't been, you MUST go. (Read my review of Sylvia's here.)
My "Date #2" was actually me taking my friend "Ms. Kentucky" out for a belated birthday evening. We were going to have a picnic dinner while we watched American Stage Theatre's production of the musical "The Wiz" held in the park at Demen's Landing. This is located next to the water in St. Petersburg and is just an ideal, tranquil spot.
Last time I saw American Stage Theatre in the Park, there was a family next to us that brought fried chicken and champagne. I had Picnic Envy! So this year I knew I was bringing fried chicken.
Not trying to promote any racial stereotypes here, but knowing Ms. Kentucky had yet to try Sylvia's soul food - I thought a soul food picnic for The Wiz musical was a good theme meal. Is that racially offensive? It's hard to know where to draw the line.
We had fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, potato salad, fresh fruit - and for dessert - Sylvia's awesome coconut cake. About a dozen middle school girls wearing Emerging Youth Leaders t-shirts were sitting next to us with giant bags of M&Ms and Cheetos. They gave us an appreciative nod at our chicken picnic.
Now normally sitting next to a dozen rambunctious young girls at "the theater" would be highly annoying - but these girls were so funny and adorable. They were just loving life, full of smiles and spunk. They chatted with us and I just wanted to make them all honorary little sisters.
American Stage Theatre's version of The Wiz was awesome. Their annual show in the park is always a big success and so worth attending! Because I have been volunteering at a local performing arts theater, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the local Tampa acting community. In "The Wiz," I knew the Director and two of the actors personally. Plus "The Cowardly Lion" and the piano player have performed a local cabaret act that I have seen several times. If you are in or near St. Petersburg, Florida, I highly recommend going to see "The Wiz." It's a great event for singles, couples, families … an all around good night.
St. Petersburg was hopping when we went to see The Wiz. It was also the Blues Festival, the Rowdies Soccer Game, the Symphony and the Ziggy Marley concert. Downtown St. Pete was packed with lots of people having a great time! The Rowdies game had the UK bagpipe band "Red Hot Chili Pipers" playing a post-game concert.
Because it's an outdoor stadium, we caught a good chunk of the concert for free. Trust me, you have not lived until you have heard the Red Hot Chili Pipers doing a bag pipe version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." If you have one goal for 2014, this should be it.
We then hit the local Starbucks as the Stephen "Ziggy" Marley concert was letting out. I was feeling bland not wearing rasta colors or having dreadlocks! But the concert goers were mellow and friendly.
The perfect Saturday ended with a walk along the water. The weather was perfect - not too hot, not too cold with an almost full moon dancing off the water as we walked along the shoreline.
I highly recommend all the places I mentioned in this blog post if you are in or visiting the Tampa Bay area. I hope you had a Perfect Weekend too - and as always, thank you for reading!
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